Monday Letters 20-24 ArchiveMonday, October 28, 2024
Hello Drama! It is HALLOWEEN WEEK! Juanita Drama is proud to support the Finlayson Family with their annual HAUNT each Halloween Season as they Scare The Hell Out Of ALS! This massive walk through Haunted House happens on Halloween. The address is 13815 121st Ave NE Kirkland, WA 98034. Donations for ALS can be made at: https://als.org/KingsgateHaunt Would you like to volunteer to help out with The Haunt? It is not too late! Let me know on the Monday Letter response. Juanita Drama volunteers show up in costume (it is a 50's theme!) and are assigned various stations. Whether you are working or visiting, you will recognize Props from past Juanita shows throughout The Haunt! See you on Halloween Night at The Haunt! World Finest Chocolate forms are due. I can take them up to 2pm on Monday! You can scan and send them by email. If you need a copy of the form let me know on your Monday Letter response. Drama needs more participants! DREAM TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! This is the week to push ticket sales! Remind everyone you know, and pump up your socials! 6th Period is working on the art and science of drawing in perspective during our Scenic Design unit! 7th Period will continue with production work for A Midsummer Night's Dream! Click HERE to find out more about the upcoming THESPY COMPETITIONS that Juanita Drama will be attending on January 18, 2025. Thespys is open to all students currently active with Juanita Drama. We will be talking about Thespys in classes, meetings and rehearsals, so have your questions ready! Reminder about Attendance: ALL attendance issues should be told to your group leader AND emailed to Mac. Group Leaders will let Malak and Mikiko know. CAST: please make sure you have filled out the Costume and Prop's Charts on One Note with excellent detail. These may be used for Thespys, and they help us to track what is being used and what is still needed. MONDAY October 28, 2024
Hello Drama! To the Production Crew: please check your TEAMS for a Running Crew Show Night Position Survey. You need to submit this by 9AM on Monday. World Finest Chocolate forms are due back this week! Please bring your signed form to Drama no later than Thursday, Oct 24 (the form says the 25th, but Drama's is due by the 24th). I sent an email to you and your families with the form attached if you need another copy. DREAM TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! The show is reserved seating, so remind your friends and family to get their tickets early to make sure they get the seats they want!. ALL members of Drama will have a running position for the show performances. You do NOT have to buy a ticket. I will explain more in class. Community Poster Day was a huge success! Over 350 posters were distributed and everyone had a great time. Please put your pics in the One Note Photo Drop Box. I am looking forward to hearing from everyone in 6th and 7th who went to The Skin of Our Teeth. Closing weekend! Click HERE to find out more about the upcoming THESPY COMPETITIONS that Juanita Drama will be attending on January 18, 2025. Thespys is open to all students currently active with Juanita Drama. We will be talking about Thespys in classes, meetings and rehearsals, so have your questions ready! Please note who is in for the Production Assistant Trainee program this week on the calendar below. NOTE: ALL Wednesday rehearsals for the month of October go to 6pm. MONDAY October 21, 2024
ACT FIVE 3:25 - 6PM
Hello Drama! Awesome week ahead! Week three of stage work, Community Postering on FRIDAY and . . . the HOODIES will arrive this week in time for Community Poster Day! Would you like to see your A Midsummer Night's Dream artwork featured on the Monday Letter? Send me a jpeg of your sketch or digital design! TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW! The show is reserved seating, so remind your friends and family to get their tickets early to make sure they get the seats they want!. ALL members of Drama will have a running position for the show performances. You do NOT have to buy a ticket. I will explain more in class. Community Poster Day is Friday, October 18, 11-3pm. Make sure you have shared the day with your parents. You will be put in a group to go postering that has returning students as leaders. The groups will transport by bus, foot or car. If you need any accommodations for that day (need to be in a walking group, for example), let Mac AND your group leader know right away. 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3): Skin of our Teeth Scenic Design and Scene work this week! October is a GREAT TIME to go see a show for your OPP. Go see The Skin of Our Teeth, especially if you read it in 6th or 7th! The show is at the Seattle Rep and is on TEENTIX!! Check out the calendar link (click the image at the top of the page) to read up on this version. Click HERE to find out more about the upcoming THESPY COMPETITIONS that Juanita Drama will be attending on January 19, 2024. You have to make a choice about what categories you are competing in and what you will be doing (all Thespy submissions have to be from a published play or musical) by November 26th! There will be a one note page for you to sign up on soon and LOTS more information to come! Please note who is in for the Production Assistant Trainee program this week on the calendar below. NOTE: ALL Wednesday rehearsals for the month of October go to 6pm. MONDAY October 14, 2024
ACT FIVE 3:25 - 6PM NO SCHOOL TODAY
Hello Drama! Monday marks two weeks since the Reveal. Crazy, right? Blocking, memorization, character work, costuming, props, sound are moving quickly into the show. On Saturday we had our first costume fittings, and blocked in a choreographed scene change. Fun! Look at all we have done in under two weeks. Imagine what we can accomplish by opening night! Tickets are for sale ONLINE starting this Friday. The ticketing link on this website's HOMEPAGE will go live on Friday!! Seats are reserved, so tell your parents, family and friends to make their plans and purchase their tickets. ALL members of Drama will have a running position on for the show performances. You do NOT have to buy a ticket. I will explain more in class. ATTENDANCE is a critical part of our daily work. We need you there on your called days. It is your responsibility to follow the attendance process. Attend only on the days you are called. If you have an absence (emergency or prearranged), please let Mac AND your group leader know. Remember: even if your prearranged absences were on your conflict sheet, you still need to confirm them each week. If you have an emergency or illness let Mac and your group leader know as soon as possible. Community Poster Day is Friday, October 18, 11-3pm. Make sure you have shared that with your parents. You will be put in a group to go postering. The groups will transport by bus, foot or car. If you need any accommodations for that day (need to be in a walking group, for example), let Mac AND your group leader know as soon as possible. 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3): We are studying The Skin of our TEETH! We will be casting and reading out loud this week. The focus for 6th is the tech of the show; for 7th the acting. October is a GREAT TIME to go see a show for your OPP. I will be going to see The Skin of Our Teeth this week! The show is at the Seattle Rep and is on TEENTIX!! Check out the calendar link (click the image at the top of the page) to read up on this version. Click HERE to find out more about the upcoming THESPY COMPETITIONS that Juanita Drama will be attending on January 19, 2024. You have to make a choice about what categories you are competing in and what you will be doing (all Thespy submissions have to be from a published play or musical) by November 26th! There will be a one note page for you to sign up on soon and LOTS more information to come! We are beginning our Production Assistant Trainee program this week! PA Trainees will be attending the full rehearsal and learning PA jobs and responsibilities. See the calendar below for your days. If you don't see your name, you will be on for next week! NOTE: ALL Wednesday rehearsals for the month of October go to 6pm. It is correct on the printed calendar for this week, but needs to be changed for the next two. MONDAY October 7, 2024
ACT FIVE 3:25 - 6PM
Hello Drama! The FINAL day to order a new DRAMA HOODIE is this Thursday, October 3, by 9pm. Don't miss out! If you need financial help, let Mac know. Do NOT order Y sizes (that stands for Youth and is for little kids). ANYONE can order a DRAMA HOODIE! This week we turn to October and a fantastical month of working on A Midsummer Night's Dream! I am looking forward to 51 Monday Letter responses dropping into my email with your reflections about our reveal and table talk week! Hard to believe it has just been a week since I no longer had to keep it a secret! DRAMATURGY for Dream is well under way. The production concept was revealed on Friday with scenic and costume ideas, and tech and cast are sketching and researching based on what you know and understand. Bring your sketches and notes to Drama on your first day in next week and be ready to share! Production Crew: BRING YOUR BACKPACKS to your Home Bases when you attend rehearsals. Do not line them up. Remember to cross backstage and through the tech access silently. EVERYONE: Remember to bring water bottles and snacks for after school! For SAFETY and to keep track of everyone: please sign out and be outside for pickup five minutes after the end of classes, meetings and rehearsals. We will not go late. Pick up is around the back of the Theatre. Unless students have a meeting with Mac after end time, they must exit promptly. Students are not allowed to go out of the Drama area into the building after Drama, and are required to exit Drama out the back of the Theatre through the door next to the classroom and backstage door. Follow your calendar: you ONLY attend on the days you are called. If you are confused about when that is, ask me with your Monday Letter response. If you have an absence (emergency or prearranged), please let Mac AND your group leader know. Pre-arranged on Sunday with your Monday Letter response, and on Sunday to your group leader: if you are ill let us know as soon as you know. Group leaders, it is your responsibility to tell Malak and Mikiko as soon as you know of an absence. Remember: even if your prearranged absences were on your conflict sheet, you still need to confirm them each week. Community Poster Day is Friday, October 18, 11-3pm. Make sure you have shared that with your parents. You will be put in a group to go postering. The groups will transport by bus, foot or car. If you need any accommodations for that day (need to be in a walking group, for example), let Mac AND your group leader know as soon as possible. We are putting the groups together this week! 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3). We ended last week with a thorough look at Theatres for the OPP and extra credit shows, and talked through the OPP on TEAMS. This week we will be looking at examples of Broadways shows to get you primed and ready for your adventures with shows at the Seattle area OPP Theaters. GRADED ASSIGNMENT: complete the OPP Sign Up form in the collaborative space. ONLINE TICKETS FOR A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM WILL GO ON SALE OCTOBER 11! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! MONDAY September 30, 2024
Hello Drama! Hey! It's REVEAL WEEK! On Monday, we will gather in Rm 526. Sign in at the check in sheets (pencil in hand as you come down the hallway!), and then place your backpacks in the Theatre on the line. You will need your journals and your happy selves seated by 3:25, ready to hear about all the opportunities to be part of the Fall 2024 Juanita Drama Production! It is required that everyone in the after school program reply to the Monday Letter. This is part of your participation grade and is vital to your success in Drama. Questions? Ask Mac! 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3). Discussions on Theatre Spaces and Acting Technique this week! Make sure your notes from the articles are ready. Visit our One Note for the current assignment. LINK for HOODIES! The store will CLOSE On Thursday, October 3, 2024, at midnight. https://www.customink.com/g/myp0-00cw-qd2t MONDAY September 23, 2024
Hello Drama! AUDITION RULE #1: Practice, practice, practice. Aristotle (who knew a quite a bit about being awesome), said the following: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a HABIT". One of the secrets that theatre people know is that everything we do is planned out so well that when we get to the performance, muscle memory kicks in, nerves energize, and we not only do well, we immediately want to do it again! Trust in your group leaders. They have done this before and are trained to be your guides, mentors, biggest fans. On Monday, I will be explaining the process we use to self-select the group order. Everyone take care of their individual responsibilities: practice your slate, song lyrics and novel lines! You will be AMAZED on Monday with your group's progress. This is how theatre works: independently bring your work to the highest level you can and then come in to rehearsal or meetings to create something uniquely wonderful. It is so much fun to see how others have grown and what they bring to the experience. Everyone who is doing a solo audition needs to be ready on Monday. Have your backing track on your computer (and it is wise to also have it on your phone for practice and as a back up). Make sure it is downloaded - do not rely on streaming for an audition. The following people be ready to present on Monday: Belle, Ron, Mikiko Go to One Note to see the Audition Guidelines for the Thespy Dress Code that we will be following for Auditions. You need to dress for Tuesday and Wednesday in your Thespy Blacks. Group Leaders: remember to dress in your Thespy blacks on Monday to share examples of what that looks like. It is required that everyone in the after school program reply to the Monday Letter. This is part of your commitment to the production company and the BEST way to stay current and on track. Look at the bottom of this page for guidelines. 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3). We will continue on with the Theatre and You presentations. Practice what you plan on saying! MONDAY September 16, 2024
Hello Drama! And just like that, it is week two of school and time for Audition Workshops! Please see the calendar below for the after school Drama Class. NEW PEOPLE are still welcome on Monday! For the Audition Workshops: wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move in. Soft soled shoes (like keds) are great. Pull your hair back and off your face if applicable. Everyone needs a spiral notebook just for Drama. Label the cover with your name and Juanita Drama. Bring a water bottle and a non-messy snack (like a bar of some kind). And bring your happy, kind curious selves! Reminder: we are forming a production company! All required activities will involve group building and teaching the skills to present at Auditions. There will be an opportunity for anyone who wants to to audition solo (this is optional and in addition to the group Audition). More Monday! The Audition Form, Conflict Sheet (new version) and September Calendar are on the top of the Monday Letter. These were also given out as a packet on Thursday last week, and can be found on your One Note, Content Library (some of you may not be able to access One Note, yet. If you are also in 7th, I have added them there). CONFLICT AND AUDITION FORMS ARE DUE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AUDITION WORKSHOP #2. Please follow all instructions and make sure your parents sign. Confused? Ask questions in your Monday Letter response. We will review the packet on Monday at the first Audition Workshop! 6th (Tech Theatre) and 7th (Drama 1, 2, 3) are off to a great start! Remember to have a spiral notebook (journal) in class on Monday. We will be talking about the OPP, signing up for Teen Tix and discussing the reading from last Friday in class this week. MONDAY September 9, 2024
First week of the 24-25 School Year! Hello Drama! If you have found this page you are already enrolled in the fabulous after school Juanita Drama program OR wanting to know how to join OR are a beloved Alumni venturing out in the big world and missing Drama! I am looking forward to starting up with all of the returning students, meeting (so many!) new students, and hearing from my Alumni (from California to Georgetown and I imagine so many other places!). I have missed all of you and, like you, feel the summer has flown by. September always rolls around though, and with it new possibilities and fun! After School Drama starts on DAY ONE, September 3, at 3:25 in RM 526. EVERYONE is welcome and encouraged to attend. You just need to show up, put your name on a list, and you will be enrolled in the CREDITED after school Drama Class. Want to know more about it? Watch the video on the Home Page. Everyone: bring a friend (or two) to class this week. This is the open enrollment period for new students in after school Drama. The Tech and Acting classes are packed (34+). There are a LOT of new students to get to know. Thank you to the Drama Leadership students who came on Friday to set the classroom up. I appreciate all of the help my returning students will give me to get the year going! We will be talking about AUDITIONS and SHOW SELECTION and the September Calendar will be given out this week! MONDAY September 2, 2024
3:25 - 4:15pm
3:25 - 4:15
3:25 - 4:15
Hey Seniors! You are doing an AMAZING job of continuing to grow and challenge yourselves with Juanita Drama. I am so very proud of all of you. It is fitting, for this group, to have your last performance be the day before you graduate. Everyone mark your calendars and attend the Orchestra Concert on June 13, where the Juanita Drama Senior Class of 2024 will be performing I See Stars with the Juanita Orchestra! We have arrived at the week that OPP's are DUE! I want to see 100% of you get your OPP's in this week! Make sure the One Note OPP Choice page is updated in case you changed which show you are submitting. Reminder: If you are in more than one Drama class, you only need to turn in ONE OPP. Please submit in the FIRST Drama class of the day. PRO TIP: just do it. Make it fun to read and don't worry about googling anything. I want to read what you have to say as if we are having a conversation. Be YOU. Wed, May 22, is 8th grade parent night. We are going to be setting up a Thespy/Class Exhibit in the Lobby and I want to invite all of you that ranked at Thespys to participate. We will set up 6th period and after school on Wednesday. You do NOT need to be in attendance for the evening, BUT are welcome to be there to talk with parents. We will talk about this at class on Monday. Let me know in your Monday Letter response if you will be participating. 5th and 6th: Presentation for Illusion and Non-Conventional Material is on TUESDAY! All students will be presenting. Check the One Note Pate for assignment details AND an example of using non-conventional material for design that you might not have considered! 7th: Blithe Spirit Reading Groups then on to a NEW UNIT! ALL CLASSES: Make sure ALL Teams Assignments are completed and submitted for the SEMESTER. You can still complete work from first quarter. Make sure I know you have submitted. I don't get alerts for old assignments. IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES FOR JUANITA DRAMA!
MONDAY May 20, 2024
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Hello Drama! We have an exciting and fun week in Drama! We are coming together for the final week of work on two shows we love: Mean Girls and Young Frankenstein. AND it is Thespian Induction! The Senior Show, Mean Girls in CONCERT is BACK by POPULAR DEMAND on Wednesday, May 15, at 2:15! The show is FREE with a TEENTIX Pass. Get your friends SIGNED UP to TeenTix and spread the word about the show! All ADULTS are in with a donation at the door! ALL DRAMA is REQUIRED to ATTEND this SHOW! Show your TEENTIX pass to enter! OPP's are DUE by May 22. Remember, if you are in more than one Drama class, you only need to submit ONCE. Submit on Teams to the first Drama class of the day that you are enrolled in. Make sure you have added your second semester choice in one note - update if needed. Questions? Ask Mac! 5th and 6th: Work week on Illusion and Non-Conventional Materials 7th: Blithe Spirit Reading Groups! ALL CLASSES: Make sure ALL Teams Assignments are completed and submitted. IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES FOR JUANITA DRAMA!
MONDAY May 13, 2024
Frankly, It's the MARKET!!! We will discuss this day during Rehearsals for YF!
Wow! So much ALL DRAMA fun ahead! Thespian Induction, Mean Girls After School Special and Frankly, It's The Market are all happening in the next two weeks. We will kick things off with an ALL DRAMA meeting on Monday, May 6. Don't miss this very important class! The Senior Show, Mean Girls in CONCERT is BACK by POPULAR DEMAND on Wednesday, May 15, at 2:15! The show is FREE with a TEENTIX Pass. Get your friends SIGNED UP to TeenTix and spread the word about the show! All ADULTS are in with a donation at the door! OPP's are DUE by May 22. Remember, if you are in more than one Drama class, you only need to submit ONCE. Submit on Teams to the first Drama class of the day that you are enrolled in. Do you still need to see a show? FAT HAM and ROMEO AND JULIET are both on Teen Tix and have excellent reviews. I want to hear about the Murder Mystery parties! Tell me all about them in your ML Response AND don't forget to drop in photos on One Note! Did you HOST? Thank you!! ALL Murder Mystery Boxes are due back on Monday, May 5. Have you borrowed or checked out ANYTHING from Mac this year that needs to be returned? Please bring those in on Monday! 5th and 6th: Presentation work on Scenic Design topics begin on MONDAY! 7th: We will begin our Blithe Spirit unit on Monday. ALL CLASSES: Make sure ALL Teams Assignments are completed and submitted. IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES FOR JUANITA DRAMA!
MONDAY May 6, 2024
April 29, 2024 Congratulations to everyone involved with the Senior Show! What a fabulous night! Thanks for the outpouring of community and love for the work during this brilliant and memorable experience. Up next for the after school group is MURDER MYSTERIES! The final meeting is on Monday and the parties are on Tuesday after school. Questions? Ask your Hosts! 5th and 6th: Embellishment projects are DUE on Monday to share. 7th: Final Dramaturgy Read! ALL CLASSES: it is time to start getting your OPP's in. I will be talking about them in class this week. I highly encourage everyone to go see Seattle Shake's version of Romeo and Juliet (pic on the ML this week). You can use your TEENTIX Pass for this show! Also: make sure you have filled out the One Note OPP chart and have it updated to what shows you saw and submitted your OPP's on this year . Chocolate Collection: if you have turned in your money online (a really good way to do it) then make sure you let me know. Otherwise, the FINAL CHOCOLATE COLLECTION DATE IS TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 7TH PERIOD. You can bring a completed envelope to me on that day. Parents: We need TWO parents to collect money on Tuesday, from 2:30 - 3:00pm. If you can volunteer please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094DAAAF2EA0FE3-48819253-volunteers#/ You would check in at the front office and come to Room 513 (Choir Room). MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024
No Drama (Orchestra Show Dress Rehearsal) FRIDAY, May 3, 2024
Senior Show Week!! Our focus this week is getting the Senior Show ready! Please invite friends, family and teachers! Tickets are on sale HERE. ALL Drama is required to attend the Senior Show on April 26. ALL DRAMA is in for no charge as always. If you cannot for any reason attend the show, please let me know right away and I will arrange for a makeup opportunity. We have all the ushers we need. Please be ready to take your seat (it is General Admission) at 6:40pm on Friday so you get the seats you want! The show is AMAZING, and we are going to have a LOT of fun. All Drama talk on stage after the show. The run time of the show is one hour. We will do a talk together after the audience leaves, on stage, like always! ALL DRAMA attends:). Parent pickup for everyone who is not Cast/Booth/PM/Ticketing is 9:15pm. Everyone else is 10pm. 5th & 6th Period: We will continue working on the embellishment/decorating/bedazzling unit. With the testing schedule, I am going to move the deadline to Monday, April 29 for presenting your projects. All days this week (three) will be work days. 7th: We will continue on with our Dramaturgy and scene unit. It is a great week for the Senior Show schedule-wise. We will use ACT as needed on Tuesday (decide that at Monday rehearsal). The very last thing on Friday is Homeroom, which gives us the time to do final prep for the show! MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2024 SHOW SHIRT DAY!! (If you missed picking up your shirt come see Mac at lunch)
CHOCOLATE COLLECTION DATE!! Please fill out your envelope and turn it in before or during 7th period.
Hello Drama! Welcome back! The next two and a half weeks of after school TPW Drama when we get back from break are posted below for you to plan ahead. The first two weeks back are focused on the Senior Show, which takes place on April 26, 2024. ALL Drama is required to attend the Senior Show on April 26. We will be asking for ushers. ALL DRAMA is in for no charge as always. If you cannot for any reason attend the show, please let me know right away and I will arrange for a makeup opportunity. 5th Period: We will be working on the costumes for Mean Girls within an embellishment/decorating/bedazzling unit. Please bring to class on Monday, April 15, an article of clothing you want to design and decorate. Do not buy new; the idea is to re-invent used clothing items. Have an extra to share or want to do more than one? Bring that! Jeans, skirts, vests, jackets will all work. We will spend the first day or so designing and then you will have the next two weeks to craft in class! 6th: We will be working on the tech aspects of Mean Girls AND you can also do the same project as 5th. Bring something to work on! 7th: On MONDAY you will do the reflection for Actor's Nightmare, Yellowstone and A Star in class. You are responsible for doing the dramaturgy and readings if you miss class. You can check a book out to take home as needed. The following calendar is an overview of the next few weeks. Seniors: on the first Monday back we will plan the daily calendar. MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024
No joke! It is the last week of school before Spring Break! We have been hard at it for months and the lovely weather, blossoming trees and time off will be a great re-boot. Thank you to Michael, Aria, Kaylee and Richard for working the Drama booth at Spring Fest! You can check out pics on Instagram in the YF Highlights and on a post. They dressed in costume, had the wheelbarrow and Family Business/Brain cart for Photo Ops, and heard back from fans of the show how much they enjoyed our production. Well done! Featured on the ML this week is Village Theatre's The Fantasticks, an updated version of a classic musical. We have a lot of Drama students who have become experts at using the TeenTix pass. How many shows have you seen using the Pass? Haven't used it? Click on the image to learn more about how to use the pass, and go see the show! $5 with Teen Tix! I want to thank each and every one of you that gave me flowers and cards at the close of Young Frankenstein. That was very special. My home is filled with flowers, still going strong and making me smile. Come to classes ready to grow, learn and do! Classes: you ALL have TEAMS assignments due: 5th and 6th (&Juliet), 7th (Responses to Macbeth, Blythe Spirit, A Raisin in the Sun). Be thoughtful and share what you know and understand to receive full credit. Don't miss submitting! MONDAY, April Fool's Day! (or Ziggy day?)
The power of Theatre to build community was on full display these past three weekends in the Juanita Theatre. Record breaking audiences came together again and again to share in the fun of Young Frankenstein. Juanita Drama wants to extend a monster thank you to everyone who laughed, cheered and danced in their seats at our show. Amazing audiences! Congratulations to everyone involved in the production! What a journey this show has been, with some stops on the way no one could have predicted! You handled it with grace and Juanita Drama's signature kindness to each other and passion for all things Theatre. Thank you for leaning forward into all of the new learning that has taken place over the past three months; YF was the perfect show for us. I loved creating the cut, directing and designing the show, working with individuals, small groups and the full group on House, Ticketing, Sound, Lights, Props, Costuming, Stage Managements, Scene Crew, Vocals, Makeup, WIGS!!, Backstage Choreo and onstage Choreo!! YF gave us the opportunity to push our performance, technical and management skills to new levels, while building on our already strong Drama family. Parents: a special thanks to all of you for supporting your student through the production calendar. I am grateful every day that you have trusted them with me, and that you send them with food, encourage their work, and are there to pick them up at the end of the day. Thanks for helping them get ready to show up, keeping those show shirts clean and for being the best audience, ever. I would love to hear from all of you! You can email a message and I will share with my students. Thank you to all of you that have signed up for the Drama Boosters. If you still need to sign up, visit the Booster site. Click HERE for the flyer giving all the important reasons why every Drama family should join Boosters this year! On the Monday Letter today is Sanctuary City, playing at the Seattle Rep's Leo K Theater until the end of March. Click on the link and learn abut this show. Highly recommended for its honest and powerful narrative, BUT please read the content warning as the show contains strong themes and language. It is on TEENTIX! This show would make a great OPP. Drama has a big couple of days to get our theatre home ready for the upcoming concert season. All classes will be a part of our spring cleaning as we put away our show. It is a short week for after school drama, so check the calendar carefully. WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, March 25, 2024 STATE TEE SHIRT DAY! Wear your YF pins on the front of your shirts. If you want to, wear your name tags and ribbons for extra swag and conversation starters. I am going to be sending out a notice to Staff about STATE!
Congratulations to everyone for a successful and amazing trip to STATE and for a great weekend of shows! We have made it to our closing weekend. But FIRST we have the Finn Hill Matinee on Tuesday, rehearsals to enjoy and strengthen our show, Greet the Buses Thursday morning at 8am, another Thursday lunch time performance, and our 50% off THURSDAY! Our run will end with Booth Awards for EVERYONE onstage, Saturday night. Take the time today to prepare for your week by getting rest, eat well, spend some time in the sunshine, get in a tidy of your personal spaces, and don't forget to do your homework! GREET THE BUSES! Meet your GROUP LEADER at 8AM! Look on One Note for groups and location. You will wear your show shirts, carry posters, and have CANDY to pass out! Do you have some candy to add to our stash to hand out? Bring it in on MONDAY and drop it off on Mac's desk! Be friendly and invite EVERYONE to the show! PARENTS! Thank you to Angela Martin for helping to get families signed up for Drama Boosters. When you sign up, you get an awesome Drama Cling. Go to the Booster site to sign up and/or make a donation, or talk with Angela at the Saturday Night Show in the Lobby! BETWEEN MATINEE AND SHOW! House needs to exit the Theatre and return for evening calls. CAST, PM's, PA's: may choose to remain. Bring lunch. You may have lunch dropped off at the outside door by 513. House and Running Crew Dress Code: Black with Show Shirts, Buttons. No ripped jeans, heels or open toed shoes. Neat appearance. BOOTH AWARDS! Booth Awards will be AFTER we do our post show clean ups. Please bring a snack and drink to enjoy while we do the Booth Awards. Pickups will be at 11:15pm. Drama Board until 11:30 to help lock up. If you need to be picked up or leave earlier you need to let the PM's know ahead of time. WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, March 18, 2024 SHOW SHIRT DAY!!
Return your PINK Chocolate order handout with info filled out by TUESDAY, March 12! Need one? They are on Mac's desk. ALL Drama students in ALL classes can participate in the Chocolate Fund Raiser for Drama! Congratulations to everyone involved for the shows this past weekend. The audience loved the performances which isn't at all surprising - it is a truly loveable and fabulous show! We have a fun week ahead with a production on Thursday Night and STATE! I will be announcing a special code for $5 Thursday Tickets, and let everyone know what we are going to be doing about the cancelled Saturday show, ON MONDAY. Check back for an UPDATE! TICKETING: Thank you to all of the parents, friends and family members that bought tickets ONLINE! Our House ran smoothly with short lines at the Box Office. Online ordering is easy and tickets go straight to your email to present on your phone at the door! It would be a BIG help if families could secure their tickets this week for the remainder of the run. For families that had tickets for the cancelled Saturday show: I will be getting an email out to all of you on Monday, once I am able to connect with the HomeTown ticketing and have a plan in place for rescheduling tickets. I am going to REPEAT the following paragraphs from last week in case you need them! PARENT PICK UP AFTER SHOWS: The show will run approx 2 hours. Students meet friends and family in Lobby for approx 10 minutes after the show. We then have a 10-15 minute post show meeting, 10 - 30 minutes for clean up (depends on their level of responsibility), which leaves students ready for Parent Pick Up 45 minutes to one hour after the show. Ask your student what their level of responsibility is, and when they will be ready to go. If a student needs to leave earlier they need to communicate ahead of time to their managers and to Mac (they can do this through text or in person). ALL House signs IN and OUT with the House Managers and enter and exit the Lobby Doors. ALL Cast and Running Crew sign in and out on the check in sheets in the back and enter and exit the back of the Theatre. PC's: if you are ATTENDING, but not WORKING a show, check in at 6:40 for evening shows, and 12:40 for Matinees with House Managers. You will be seated inside in a holding spot, and then will take seats with the ushers in any open seat you choose just before the show begins. Sit in all areas in the main part of the seating - but not the front row! Acting happens there. REMINDER: you all have a part to play in the audience! When the creature comes out in Ritz stand up and be afraid! Make noise! Ben will quiet you down and seat you. We are counting on you! BETWEEN MATINEE AND SHOW! House needs to exit the Theatre and return for evening calls. CAST, PM's, PA's: may choose to remain. Bring lunch. No lunch drop offs, or leaving if you are staying between shows. House and Running Crew Dress Code: Black with Show Shirts. No ripped jeans, heels or open toed shoes. Neat appearance. WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, March 11, 2024 SHOW SHIRT DAY!!
Return your PINK Chocolate order handout with info filled out! Need one? They are on Mac's desk. ALL Drama students in ALL classes can participate in the Chocolate Fund Raiser for Drama! We are opening on Thursday! Read the schedule carefully to know your calls! 5th & 6th: PROP presentations on Monday! 7th: Watching The Phantom of the Opera! TICKETING: I want to encourage everyone to remind their family and friends to get ONLINE tickets to avoid the lines at the Box Office and to help get everyone in for the show to start on time. It is easy and the tickets go straight to your email to present on your phone at the door! It would be a BIG help if families could secure their tickets this week. PARENTS! Thank you for reading the ML and for helping your student throughout the production process. The show is fabulous, but more important than that, the daily experience over the past few months from page to stage for all students involved has been significant. It would be hard to catalog the learning that has taken place, the friendships made and the self confidence that is blossoming all over the theatre. You will see all of that when you come to the show, from the house, to the booth, to the backstage and onstage. The students are working at a professional level, leadership is everywhere, and there is much to be proud of. We talk daily about self-care, sleep, eating well, staying steady with school and home life. I am taking care of them when they are with me, and I am so very grateful they have you to guide and support them during this significant and memorable time in their lives. PARENT PICK UP AFTER SHOWS: The show will run approx 2 hours. Students meet friends and family in Lobby for approx 10 minutes after the show. We then have a 10-15 minute post show meeting, 10 - 30 minutes for clean up (depends on their level of responsibility), which leaves students ready for Parent Pick Up 45 minutes to one hour after the show. Ask your student what their level of responsibility is, and when they will be ready to go. If a student needs to leave earlier they need to communicate ahead of time to their managers and to Mac (they can do this through text or in person). ALL House signs IN and OUT with the House Managers and enter and exit the Lobby Doors. ALL Cast and Running Crew sign in and out on the check in sheets in the back and enter and exit the back of the Theatre. PC's: if you are ATTENDING, but not WORKING a show, check in at 6:40 for evening shows, and 12:40 for Matinees with House Managers. You will be seated inside in a holding spot, and then will take seats with the ushers in any open seat you choose just before the show begins. Sit in all areas in the main part of the seating - but not the front row! Acting happens there. REMINDER: you all have a part to play in the audience! When the creature comes out in Ritz stand up and be afraid! Make noise! Ben will quiet you down and seat you. We are counting on you! BETWEEN MATINEE AND SHOW! House needs to exit the Theatre and return for evening calls. CAST, PM's, PA's: may choose to remain. Bring lunch. No lunch drop offs, or leaving if you are staying between shows. House and Running Crew Dress Code: Black with Show Shirts. No ripped jeans, heels or open toed shoes. Neat appearance. WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, March 4, 2024 SHOW SHIRT DAY!!
Please look this over carefully and send any questions you have with your Monday Letter response! WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, Feb 26, 2024
Back to school and Young Frankenstein! Respond to the ML and let me know how your break went and what you are looking forward to this week! Periods 5, 6 & 7 are working on Young Frankenstein PROPS and Character development. Props Project due on Block day of next week. Working on booths? We are going to dress them this week! After School Drama: THURSDAY is a Young Frankenstein Show Shirt Day! ALL COMPANY PHOTO SHOOT in show shirts on stage at the start of rehearsal on Thursday! WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, Feb 19, 2024
Short week with plenty to keep us happily involved with Drama classes and rehearsals for YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN! Bug your parents and friends to get their tickets NOW! Let's get a BUZZ going about this show SELLING OUT! Periods 5, 6 & 7 are working on Young Frankenstein PROPS and Character development. It is great to see Frankenstein take over the Drama Department! After School Drama: MONDAY is a Young Frankenstein Show Shirt Day! Wearing your shirts is one of the BEST ways to let everyone know you are part of the Young Frankenstein Company and to advertise the show! TPW class: Look on One Note for information about the Thespy Showcase, and invite friends and family for this Tuesday at 6:30pm. About one hour, with tech displays to see in the Lobby! WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, Feb 12, 2024 The following ONLY in rehearsal today until 6pm: Kaylee, Belle, Ron, Ben, Eva, Caroline. Aria, Richard, Michael, Audrey, Duncan, PA’s, PM’s TUESDAY, Feb 13, 2024
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Happy February! On to a fun and productive week! Young Frankenstein Tickets are on Sale! Make sure your family and friends know how to get to our Ticketing site. It is easy and quick to get reserved seating for our MONSTER of a musical! Click the button or the poster and check out the ticketing site! This week in 5-7 we will be working on Props, Sound and Lighting! After School Drama: MONDAY is a Young Frankenstein Show Shirt Day! Wearing your shirts is one of the BEST ways to let everyone know you are part of the Young Frankenstein Company, and advertise the show! STAY TUNED for our first Young Frankenstein EBLAST set for this THURSDAY at both LUNCHES. The Drama Leaders will be getting information out to you so you can be a part of this and know exactly what to do! We are registered for STATE! I want to make sure everyone who did not turn in a form (and who haven't already talked with me) are certain you don't want to go with us. It is an amazing experience with workshops and watching other schools perform. I have until Feb 8 to change the roster, so if you have changed your mind, let me know! CAST: Please wear your SHOW SHOES on THURSDAY. They are in the left dressing room which will be unlocked. Wear appropriate socks or stockings (they don't have to be show ready, just what works to protect your shoe and your feet!). WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, Feb 5, 2024 The following ONLY in rehearsal today until 6pm: Kaylee, Belle, Ron, Ben, Eva, Caroline. Aria, Richard, Michael, Audrey, Duncan, PA’s, PM’s TUESDAY, Feb 6, 2024
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar WildeJuanita High School Drama Dramaturgy - Old Science LabBTAG (Bipoc Theatre affinity group) meets January 30 at 7pm. The link to the ZOOM meeting is at https://www.wathespians.org/ SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. January 29, 2024 Hello Drama! Congratulations on getting through finals. On to 2nd Semester! Our focus in all classes turns to YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, The Musical! Stay tuned for scenic, props, costume, lighting, sound, marketing and more! Young Frankenstein Tickets go on sale on Monday, January 29 at NOON! The link will open on the Home Page on the Drama Website. OPP #2 is now on TEAMS! Start looking for a show to go see! Set a goal to see a live show for OPP #2: DUE on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA This week is Community Poster Day! All members of the Production Crew and some members of Production Assistants are scheduled for WEDNESDAY, from 12:50 - 5pm to go out and about in the community to put up posters. All students will be in walking groups or hopping buses to your assigned poster areas. Details will be shared on Monday! WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY, Jan 29, 2024
Kaylee, Belle, Ron, Ben, Eva, Caroline. Aria, Richard Michael, Audrey, Duncan, PA’s, PM’s TUESDAY, Jan 30, 2024
Michael, Audrey, Duncan, PA’s, PM’s WEDNESDAY, Jan 31 2024
CPD #2 during 5th, Lunch, Homeroom (only if you are in 5th Drama class).
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Washington State Thespian Website TEENTIX Juanita Drama Facebook Version: Mobile | Web January 15, 2024! Hello Drama! It is THESPY WEEK! I am looking forward to everyone’s presentations and performances. Practice more than you think you should until it is second nature. The last day to work on Thespy projects in class is January 16; presentations will happen during blocks starting on the 17th. Are you attending Thespys on January 20th? Click HERE to go to the Thespy 2024 information page with important details. Share with your parents! THE CONSENT FORM was due last week. Make sure you have turned yours in to be able to attend Thespys on January 20. Any Drama student is welcome to join Drama classes periods 5, 6 or 7 for extra work time on Thespys Tuesday or Friday. Want to practice presenting? Join us 5, 6 or 7th - Wed(6) or Thursday(5&7). Make sure you let me know so I am expecting you. You will need to ask your teacher and bring a pass. Young Frankenstein Company: the deadline for reading the script is past due. One Note > Content Library > Frankenstein. If you are a member of cast/pa/pm re-read the full script before you come next to rehearsal. Cast: continue your memorization work; review your music and choreo! Make you have completed the costume and prop’s chart and synched your one note. Show Shirts are HERE and will be given out in TPW class on Wednesday! Everyone who is going to Thespys will wear the Young Frankenstein Show Shirt and Drama Hoodies. We will also have invites to the show to give out to other students at Thespys! Need a Hoodie? Ask Mac! btw: there is a size small Drama Hoodie in the lost and found next to the counseling office. Yours? Please return any borrowed tap shoes. Want to buy a pair of your own? After YF is over we will run a few tap classes for all levels! We will have some sizes to borrow but if you want to have your own here is a good shoe at a good price: www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CBCSVYR7?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image Calendar: Monday, Jan 15, 2024
SHOW SHIRTS given out during Drama classes and rehearsal. If you are not in a class or rehearsal you can pick yours up on Friday during TPW class. See Friday’s adjusted schedule below. ONLY the following cast members: Aria, Ben, Ron, Kaylee, Caroline, Audrey, Eva, Belle, Duncan, Michael, Richard, PM's & PA’s until 6pm. Please be prepared for scene work, solos and duets Friday, Jan 19, 2024
Hello Drama! We are back in the swing of things. Last week was amazing with Thespy projects and rehearsals. Make sure you are studying the category rules and rubrics (click on the image) and asking any questions you have! Pay particular attention to time limits. The last day to work on Thespy projects in class is January 16; presentations will happen during blocks starting on the 17th. Are you attending Thespys on January 20th? Click HERE to go to the Thespy 2024 information page with important details. Share with your parents! You also need to fill out one copy of THE CONSENT FORM. Please print and have your parents complete the form. DUE by Wednesday, Jan 10. After School Drama: Follow the weekly calendar below. Reminder: if you are called on a specific day then attendance is required. If you are missing class then you need to make sure you have told Skyler/Allison/Mac AND that your parent has excused you through the attendance office. Attendance is just like any other class period. Everyone take a look at the Costume Chart on the One Note Page, Collaboration Space, Frankenstein. ALL DRAMA is responsible to stay on top of what is posted on the One Note. Check it often. CAST: make sure you have updated your costume chart notes following the color coded key at the top. Except for Alexa and Aria, everything hung in the dressing room should now be BLACK, and everything still needed should be RED. You should have a costume description or X in any scene you are in. Skyler, Allison, Claire!! Thank you for staying on top of of our ONE NOTE! Weather related info: if school is cancelled, then Drama is cancelled. We will use the Leadership Team Group Texts to get out information about any changes to the schedule, and I will also update the Monday Letter. Special Note to share with Parents: Drama is a no-fee program, which means active Drama students do not pay costume fees, bus fees, competition fees. We are funded through ticket sales and donations. Donations are always welcome and appreciated and can be made to Drama through the NEW and AMAZING Performing Arts Booster Club. Make sure you designate DRAMA so the funds are deposited in the correct account. If you would like to be an active part of the Performing Arts Booster Club as a Drama Rep, let me know and I will connect you. The Booster Meetings are once a month and virtual. Thanks for your support! Weekly Calendar: Monday, Jan 8, 2024
Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wildeanuary 1, 2024! Hello Drama! It has been a minute, right? I hope everyone had a good break and you are ready to come back to friends, classes and Drama! Our focus for the next few weeks will be on finishing all of the Thespy projects for class and for the performances and presentations on January 20, at Liberty High School. Come each day prepared to work on your project. The due date for all classes is the end of the period on Tuesday, January 16, with presentations happening Wed-Fri. Young Frankenstein Show Shirt Shop CLOSES on Tuesday, Jan 2! Make sure to get your shirt! It will be awesome to have everyone ordered by Tuesday! Need financial assistance? Talk with Mac! After School Drama: Follow the weekly calendar below. We will talk on Wednesday to make sure everyone is clear on what is happening between now and the end of the semester! Frankenstein Cast: Make sure you have completed the question chart on the collaboration space, One Note. Be prepared to jump right back into rehearsals on Tuesday, Jan 2! Bring music and script! Monday, Jan 1, 2024
Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde December 11, 2023 Hello Drama! One week to go before BREAK and what an exciting week this is! The Spring Musical will be revealed in the TPW class after school on Monday. We begin rehearsals this week. OPP's are DUE on TEAMS this Wednesday! Questions? Ask Mac in your Monday Letter response. There is so much creativity swirling around the Drama spaces. Over 100 Drama students are working on Thespy projects! A LOT of you have chosen to present or perform on January 20 at the Washington State Thespys at Liberty High School. Are you presenting, performing or coming to observe? Did you fill out the form with all of your information? Do you have a change or addition? Let Mac know NOW because registration is happening and by Wednesday of this week it will be done. Thespys does not allow late submissions or changes. AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA CLASS (TPW): The group leaders are doing a great job of getting info out to you about this week. Make sure you let them know you are receiving their texts! If you have questions, let MAC know in your Monday Letter response. Monday, Dec 11, 2023
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Hello Drama! Have you seen a show for your OPP? OPP's are DUE by Wednesday, DECEMBER 13. Go to https://www.teentix.org/how to review how to use your TEENTIX pass to see a show. Follow the link to the TEENTIX calendar. There are lots of great options including: Little Women at the Seattle Rep, and White Christmas at the 5th Ave. Get your OPP in before the Due Date. They are fun to do! Use your own voice, opinions, ideas. I am interested in what you have to say! Have questions? Let me know! In ALL classes this week we will be working on THESPYS, including the following categories: monologues, duo scenes, duets, stage management, costume design, costume construction, sound design, lighting design, scenic design, short film and playwriting (did I miss any??). So much creativity happening! Remember: if you are performing or presenting at Thespys on January 20, you will need to be ready to say WHAT you are doing by THURSDAY. I will have a form for you to fill out. Here is the link to the categories and rubrics: https://thespys.secure-platform.com/a/page/categories AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA CLASS (TPW):
Monday, Dec 4, 2023
Hello Drama! Welcome Back! I hope you all had a great four days with family and friends and ready for a fun three weeks in Drama! It is OPP time. OPP's are DUE by DECEMBER 13. Go to https://www.teentix.org/how to review how to use your TEENTIX pass to see a show. Follow the link to the TEENTIX calendar. There are lots of fun options including: Little Women at the Seattle Rep, and White Christmas at the 5th Ave. In ALL classes this week we will be discussing the OPP and introducing THESPYS! Check your grades. Missing an assignment? Let me know and work with me to get it finished and in Skyward. AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA CLASS (TPW): We will be looking at the calendar events for the month of December and January! You will need your computers (charged! Do that now!) and your personal calendars. TOPICS: Thespys, Secret Santa and Holiday Party, Holiday Variety Show Auditions, Spring Show Auditions plus other stuff! See you soon! Monday, Nov 27, 2023
Hello Drama! And just like that, we finished a triumphant run of Arsenic and Old Lace. Thank you to everyone who visited or lived in the Brewster Home during the last two months. Congratulations to the Box Office, House, Booth, Backstage and Cast; I am proud of all of you as you worked as a collaborative team to bring our show to life. Our productions truly reflected the joy and hard work of the past two months together. Thank you Alexa, Caroline and Kaylee! You are stellar production leads, and made sure that every facet of the production calendar - from daily rehearsals to communication to production nights - were organized and cared for. Thank you, Kaylee and Audrey. for carrying on our tradition of Booth Awards with love and humor. I am proud to be admitted with all of you to Happy Dale! And just like the Aunties, if I can be with my family there, then I am where I belong. Theatre is a living, breathing art form, storytelling at its most immediate. We never really say goodbye to these stories, these plays and musicals we pour our hearts into, because we carry the experiences forward for the rest of our lives, in small and large ways. In Oscar Wilde's (look him up!) words: I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. That happens from page to stage, from first reveal to closing night! 5th - 7th Costume and Scenic: Costume Workshop on Arsenic Costumes (before they are all cleaned and stocked!). For our short week, we will finish reading Harvey, and make sure all sketches have been submitted for Arsenic Costumes.
Hello Drama! Congratulations on a FABULOUS opening week for Arsenic and Old Lace! I am delighted to be working with all of you to share our show with the audiences. What fun! We are set to go back into rehearsal to expand the choices and humor, elevate some tech bits, and open again on Thursday, Nov 16 at 7pm. It is TIME to get everyone you know into that Theatre, because a week from today, the show is just a dark, comedic and fond memory! We don't want anyone to wish they had not missed the experience.
MONDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ARE SHOW SHIRT DAYS! Don't forget your buttons! Arsenic TECH: I am delighted to report that we had 100% fulfillment of tech positions for the first three shows. Well done! Box Office, Merch, Greeters, Ushers, Lighting, Sound, SM backstage right and left stations ran smoothly and did all the necessary trouble shooting and problem solving that comes with running a live show. Bravo! YOU join the ranks of creative artists who make the magic come to life on stages around the world in the countless productions of Arsenic and Old Lace over the past 80 years. Fun Fact: Arsenic's original Broadway production ran for 1, 444 shows!! Wow! Pickups for ALL SHOWS this week are ONE HOUR a at the BACK of the Theatre for everyone but house; house is 30 minutes after the show ends. We will have a post show talk on stage, clean up, sign out, and head out for pick ups at the back of the Theatre (normal pick up door) or through the LOBBY if you are HOUSE. It is VERY important that you communicate this to your family. If parents need you out sooner than the stated end times, please make sure you let Audrey (HOUSE) or Kaylee (everyone else) know. REMINDER: House signs in and out with AUDREY (required) and everyone else uses the check in and out sheets in the back (required). Shows were over by 9:15pm. The Production Company is given 10 minutes to talk with audience members in the Lobby before we have our backstage talk and clean up. GREET THE BUSES AND CLOSING NIGHT BOOTH AWARDS! On Thursday, we will be doing GREET the BUSES. Come to school on your bus, hop off and join in OR come to school on your own and be in your designated spot for GREET the BUSES. You will be able to see TIMES, where your station is, and who your group Leaders are on ONE NOTE by MONDAY after rehearsal. Look for the section GREET THE BUSES. CLOSING NIGHT BOOTH AWARDS: End Time is 11:30pm This is a long standing tradition with Juanita Drama. Make SURE your parents know that there is an extended gathering, to get a final group photo (before the set is gone!!), and to do Booth Awards. Every student is honored, and it is a very fun way to close out the experience. BRING a NON-Messy snack to eat. No sharing of food or drink, but I will have some bars for anyone who needs them. Kaylee and Audrey are doing Booth Awards for Arsenic, so get ready for some clever line puns and stories to be shared! Below is the full week's schedule, including show night calls. Please respond on your ML to show that you understand, or ask questions as needed. Make sure you bring food for the after school times! CAST: We are in costumes, show hair and makeup for all rehearsals. We will do show photos for all rehearsals, so be show ready. We need quiet and focused prep time in the dressing and makeup areas. Please bring mirrors and do your makeup at the tables if you can. It is important that everyone has the opportunity to focus on themselves, so do not ask anyone other than your designated makeup/costume/mic check partner to help you, unless Mac has approved. That means that Einstein, for example, only work on Jonathan, no one else unless Mac approves. Please do not take advantage of this rule, it is to keep everyone on a systematic track for show nights. Mic check is at 3:50 on Mon and Tues, 2:15 on Wednesday. Monday, Nov 13, 2023
Saturday, Nov 19, 2023 7pm Show CLOSING NIGHT! Video Taped Show
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar WildeNov 6, 2023 Hello Drama! And just like that, it is opening week for Arsenic and Old Lace! We will be ready to welcome our audiences this Friday, at the 7pm show. All the dead bodies will be tucked away ready for their stage debut! (Mr. Spenalzo is particularly jaunty!). You don't want to miss what everyone will be talking about, so make plans for opening weekend. If you are not part of the Arsenic Production Company, make sure you have your tickets! Click HERE for the ticketing link. Pack the house opening night ($5 Student Tix) and spread the word about our classic dark comedy. PARENTS: buying online helps us out to keep the ticket line at the door manageable, and also guarantees you the seats you want. It would be great if you could make your plans and get tickets online! Thank you!
MONDAY is SHOW SHIRT DAY! Wear them every day of the week this week! PRODUCTION CREW: Please go to ONE NOTE, under the CONTENT LIBRARY to see your House Position Assignments. Respond to the Monday Letter to show that you have read and understand your job assignment, the dress code, and how to attend the show if you are not in an assigned position. Thanks to Audrey and Cate for working so hard to get the House organized and assigned. Here is the full week's schedule, including show night calls. Please respond on your ML to show that you understand, or ask questions as needed. Make sure you bring food for the after school times! Pickups for ALL SHOWS this week are one hour after the show ends at the BACK of the Theatre for everyone but house; house is 30 minutes after the show ends. We will have a post show talk on stage, clean up, sign out, and head out for pick ups at the back of the Theatre (normal pick up door). Run time is Approx two hours with intermission. Looking forward to the week! We are in costumes, show hair and at least lips for all rehearsals. Full tech from this point on. Monday, Nov 6, 2023 Part Two 48 - end of play All Cast Attend
OPENING NIGHT!
Saturday, Nov 11, 2023 7pm Show
Hello Drama! Don't miss The HAUNT at the Finlayson Home with Juanita Actors. You have two more chances: Sunday Night and on HALLOWEEN! You will know you are in the right place because there is a very tall, quite personable, Skeleton on top of the house. Home Page for Address! --Tickets are on sale for Arsenic and Old Lace. Click on the IMAGE! Have your friends and family bought tickets? Let's sell it OUT! --Marketing for Arsenic is in full swing. What can you personally do to market the play? Use our INSTAGRAM and have your friends and family pull it up on their phone, add a like, follow us! The more followers we have, the more our promos will show up. Do your part to build our page! Create your own stories, blanket our community with digital promos for the show!
After School Drama: Calendar CHANGES:
Rehearsal (CAST, SM's, TD, PA's)
Hello Drama! We are zooming along and having a blast with Arsenic and classes. We have a lot going on, so read carefully. --Tickets are on sale for Arsenic and Old Lace. Click on Poster! Share with friends and family! --Community Poster Day was a BIG success: 345+ posters out in the Community. Do you know of a place to put a poster? Take one and POST IT. Sign out a poster on the table by 526. Tell Alexa or Kaylee. --We are compiling a list of places to send the digital poster. Have an idea? Retirement homes, community centers, libraries . . . tell Caroline and she will add to the list. We do our first digital poster distribution this Thursday! Caroline: please share the list with me by Wednesday. --Sweatshirts are HERE and will be distributed Tuesday during TPW (after school class). --PERMISSION SLIPS are DUE for THESPYS on Tuesday, Oct 24. Turn them in to Audrey or Breanna. Yay Thespys! Best field trip! I already have our bus:). --Marketing for Arsenic is in full swing. What can you personally do to market the play?
After School Drama: Follow your calendar! Look at changes for Tue, Thur and Fri below, to accommodate for absences. Let me know right away if you have any planned or unplanned conflicts this week. Make sure you note SATURDAY (already on your calendar). --Missing your show shoes? Let me know! --We are OFF BOOK and PROPS ARE IN starting on Monday. We will be getting used to stairs, props and learning to call 'line' while building character and character relationships this week. There is a huge focus on details and timing that require you are off book. You won't have your books in hand, but we will have a prompter, and it is perfectly normal to call lines. Just keep memorizing OUTLOUD and IN CHARACTER VOICE while PHYSICALIZING your character. All of this is part of muscle memory. Here is an excerpt from an article that supports what I have been sharing about memorizing with meaning and while moving in character. --TEACHER INVITES delivered on FRIDAY! We will be making these next week. TO DO FOR ALL: Go to One Note: Collaboration Space: TEACHERS - Follow the directions! Monday, Oct 23, 2023
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW for Arsenic and Old Lace! We offer the ticket sale to our Drama Families before we begin the public marketing. Click on the Brown Paper Ticket Logo on the Home Page. If you are part of the after school class you do not need to buy tickets for yourself. You will have a running position for all shows, with many of you in House Positions (ushers) watching the show with the audience. For the rest of Drama students in periods 5, 6 & 7, you will receive extra credit for seeing the show! Parents: Use your computer rather than your phone to purchase tickets and you will be able to choose your seats. That feature may not work on your cell phones. Take advantage of this early sale and make sure you have your tickets all set for Arsenic! The Juanita Hoodie Store is about to close! Everyone is welcome to style up with our fabulous FROM PAGE TO STAGE Hoodie! The sale CLOSES SUNDAY, Oct 9 - today. Don’t miss out! We had a wonderful day on Saturday with flat and prop pulls! It was a delight working with everyone who attended the Optional Tech Day.
After School Drama: Follow your calendar! You only come on the days you are called. Below is this week's calendar. Do you need a second calendar to have at home? Ask your Stage Managers, Kaylee and Alexa. Arrive energized and ready to bring our show to life! PA Group: Please have your Dramaturgy power point slides done by Monday, rehearsal. Check out the ones already completed. I am particularly impressed with slides that have full detail of shoes, belts, hats, gloves, etc. Nice work! PC group: you will be observing rehearsal on Tuesday! When you arrive bring all of your things to your Theatre home bases and have your journals out. If you don't know where your homebases are, Kaylee, Alexa and Caroline can help you. Cast: Please make sure you have your vocabulary completed in the CAST section of One Note. Work hard to be memorized this week - you will still have the book in your hand, but work to depend less and less on it. Practice out loud. Write out your lines. Do your blocking and always memorize in character. Monday, Oct 9, 2023
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
And just like that, it is October!🎃 Hello Drama! Sign your friends up for TeenTix and let me know who you signed up. Shows that look really interesting out there this month are Passengers at the Seattle Rep, and Cambodian Rock Opera at ACT. This is the last week for The Little Mermaid. Go see a show! OPP's are DUE by Dec 17, but get it done early and you can check that off your to-do list. Remember that we have a full list of shows on your One Note, under OPP. The Juanita Hoodie Store is now OPEN! Everyone is welcome to style up with our fabulous FROM PAGE TO STAGE Hoodie! The sale CLOSES next Friday. Don’t miss out! Curriculum Night is this Wednesday, Oct 4. We are having a Drama Family Meeting from 6:15-6:50, with introductions, info and four Audition Performances from our most recent auditions. A letter was sent home last week to parents and guardians. Remind them to take a look at the email and to come to the meeting on Wed. You are invited as well:). We are now in rehearsals for Arsenic and Old Lace! Spread the word that Juanita Drama is producing a DROP DEAD FUNNY classic. Hint: there are bodies buried somewhere you would NOT expect!
After School Drama: Follow your calendar! You only come on the days you are called. Below is this week's calendar. Do you need a second calendar to have at home? Ask your Stage Managers, Kaylee and Alexa. Arrive energized and ready to bring our show to life! Cast: Please make sure that the charts are complete and ready for work on Monday. Do NOT move the chart out of the Working Chart Section in the Collaborative Page. Do NOT make a duplicate chart. Carefully go through your charted costumes and props and make sure you have the information correctly placed for the next level of dramaturgy. Also, memorize! Monday, Oct 2, 2023
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Hello Drama! Do you want 5 extra credit points? Sign up a friend who is NOT in Drama for TeenTix! Take a pic with them holding up their TeenTix pass on their phone and either SHOW me when you come to class, or send me a pic with your ML response. Tell me who the person is. This offer is good for one week! After School Drama: go to Teentix.com and sign up for your TeenTix pass! Need help? Ask your group Leader! Have you made plans to see a show? Go see Little Mermaid! Remember that we have a full list of shows on your One Note, under OPP. This is the last Monday Letter for Sept 2023. Time flies! Get the most out of your time at Juanita. Engage with others, participate in classes, smile in the hallways! Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep (turn those phones off and go to bed!), eating healthy food, staying hydrated. Bring the confidant, amazing person you are to school each day ready to learn, grow and have fun!
After School Drama: you will find out on Monday the Fall Show and your place in the production company. I know you will be coming with lots of excitement and focused on being supportive and curious about what we are ALL going to be working on for the next couple of months. Trust in the process. You ALL have an important role in bringing our show from Page to Stage! You will be receiving a two month calendar by next week. Monday, Sept 25, 2023
Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Hello Drama! Yay for week three! This is that magical time, at the opening of the year, when everything begins to fall into place. The hallways become familiar places with new friends to say hi to, classes take on personalities, and there is so much to learn, and do, and be a part of! Everyone in Drama 5-7 classes should be signed up for TeenTix. It is the PERFECT time to go see a show and write up your OPP! I heard great things about The Little Mermaid at the 5th; make plans to see the show while there are still lots of TeenTix tickets available. Click on the TeenTix image on this week's MLetter and look at the options! There are lots of fun articles to read, too. After School Drama: go to Teentix.com and sign up for your TeenTix pass! Need help? Ask your group Leader! Last week's 5, 6 and 7th Drama classes were brought to you by the career choice: DRAMATURG! For those of you who didn't catch the Dramaturgy Presentation, click HERE for an article from Dramatic's Magazine. This week we will dive deeper into projects in all classes. I am looking forward to seeing everyone's ideas!
After School Drama: Please look carefully at the weekly schedule posted below. You only attend Drama on the days and times you are called. Please respond to the Monday Letter by Sunday evening (see below for tips on how to respond). I am looking forward to sharing the Audition experience with all of you! Monday, Sept 18, 2023
Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar WildeSept 11, 2023 Hello Drama! It was wonderful to see you crowd into 526 eager to start a new year with an expanded Juanita Drama community. Everyone is welcome; everyone belongs! Alumni! Miss you, love you, and wishing you the best where ever you are on your life's journey. I am leaving the article up from last week because there will be lots of students visiting the Monday Letter site for the first time this week. Read through the article. If you want a deeper, more personal dive, write out the 7 Reasons and order them to fit your perceptions. Journal your thoughts! Or sketch, draw, make a cartoon panel, or just think about why you relate to what the article is talking about. In 5th, 6th and 7th period, this week: we will be exploring the OPP Assignment (found on Teams) and checking out what plays and musicals are producing in our area over the next few months. Due last week was the signed course outline. If you still need to show it to me, do that as you check in at the beginning of class. ALL students need to have their spiral notebook in class on Monday. If you need help getting a journal, ask me! There was a lot of information that came out in the first three days of Drama last week. If you are new to the program, and especially if you are new to High School, I want to reassure you that you are in control of how much time you have to commit to the after school program. The most flexible position in the program is to be part of Production Crew. I will place you in the Production Company based on how you fill out the conflict sheet, so do that thoughtfully. Work with your parents. Your first semester with Juanita Drama is a time to learn how the program works and how you fit in. It is ok to ease into the time commitment. All the forms you need are posted on the top of the Monday Letter. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you have questions! It is natural to be nervous and a bit uncertain about the ensemble auditions. Allow yourself to also feel excited and curious! You are surrounded by people that are interested in Theatre - just like you! - and delighted to work with you. Whether it is your first year or your fourth year, new learning, new experiences and new friends are to be found with Juanita Drama! I am CHANGING the DUE DATE of the AUDITION FORM and CONFLICT SHEET to Wednesday, Sept 13, 2023. I have updated the forms with this change. Please look carefully at the weekly schedule posted below. You only attend Drama on the days you are called. Respond to the Monday Letter (see below for tips on how to respond). See you in Drama this coming week! Monday, Sept 11, 2023
Thursday, Sept 21, 2023 - TBA Friday, Sept 22, 2023 - TBA Questions? Just ask! Mac Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her [email protected] Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde
Have your family and friends purchased their tickets for HONK? We have three shows this Friday and Saturday. Share, invite, reach out to kids in your classes and pack the house! This show will bring joy to everyone who sees it. Since there is no school on Friday, we will be doing Greet The Buses on closing weekend. I will be posting the digital program by Thursday on the Drama Website! 5th: Deadline for the scenic design project for The Joy Of Motherhood is Thursday, March 9, at the beginning of class. 6th: Deadline for the Tech Research Projects is Wednesday, March 8th, at the beginning of class. 7th: Deadline for the Teach A Play Projects is Tuesday, March 7th, at the beginning of class. For the Week of Monday, February 20, 2023 Hello Drama! After a nice long weekend, we have a short four day week! Break is always good, but it will be nice to see all of you and get back to classes and rehearsals. We open HONK two weeks from Friday!! It is time to push the publicity. You can grab the poster image off the HOME PAGE and share far and wide! Have a place for a poster? Pick one up at the table outside of 526. Think about the communities you are a part of and work with them to publicize our show! HONK Show Shirts are $20. Pay the Bookkeeper by Monday, Feb 27, and turn the receipt in to Mac! Need financial assistance? I saw Into The Woods at the 5th on Thursday night. I am delighted so many of you have attended the show (with TEENTIX!), and hope all of you do, so we can talk about! It is a perfect show to do an OPP on, and a wonderful production to analyze. It is easy to find a review, but I recommend NOT reading reviews until after you see the show and write up your OPP, so you have your own thoughts. For those of you who went to the show since it opened last week: write up your OPP and submit Teams! You will be amazed how easy it is to do right after you see the show. ALL CLASSES: The 2nd semester OPP has now been posted. The DUE DATE is May 31, 2023. Check out the Teen Tix Calendar to see what show(s) you want to see before then. Costume and Scenic, 5th: Ground Plans to Elevations to Sketch to Rendering of the Joy of Motherhood scenic design. Technical Theatre, 6th: Lighting, continued! Drama 1 & 2, 7th: I will announce the new unit in class. Please bring your Dinner scripts to turn in. Production Workshop: ALL Drama: Please respond to the ML with your thoughts and questions! HONK CAST and PA's: I will be sending notes to your school email by 6pm on Sunday. Please respond (this will be your ML response). I am looking forward to how far the show has jumped since last I saw you!
Hello Drama! After a nice long weekend, we have a short four day week! Break is always good, but it will be nice to see all of you and get back to classes and rehearsals. We open HONK two weeks from Friday!! It is time to push the publicity. You can grab the poster image off the HOME PAGE and share far and wide! Have a place for a poster? Pick one up at the table outside of 526. Think about the communities you are a part of and work with them to publicize our show! HONK Show Shirts are $20. Pay the Bookkeeper by Monday, Feb 27, and turn the receipt in to Mac! Need financial assistance? I saw Into The Woods at the 5th on Thursday night. I am delighted so many of you have attended the show (with TEENTIX!), and hope all of you do, so we can talk about! It is a perfect show to do an OPP on, and a wonderful production to analyze. It is easy to find a review, but I recommend NOT reading reviews until after you see the show and write up your OPP, so you have your own thoughts. For those of you who went to the show since it opened last week: write up your OPP and submit Teams! You will be amazed how easy it is to do right after you see the show. ALL CLASSES: The 2nd semester OPP has now been posted. The DUE DATE is May 31, 2023. Check out the Teen Tix Calendar to see what show(s) you want to see before then. Costume and Scenic, 5th: Ground Plans to Elevations to Sketch to Rendering of the Joy of Motherhood scenic design. Technical Theatre, 6th: Lighting, continued! Drama 1 & 2, 7th: I will announce the new unit in class. Please bring your Dinner scripts to turn in. Production Workshop: ALL Drama: Please respond to the ML with your thoughts and questions! HONK CAST and PA's: I will be sending notes to your school email by 6pm on Sunday. Please respond (this will be your ML response). I am looking forward to how far the show has jumped since last I saw you!
Hello Drama! TICKETS are now on sale for HONK! The Musical. Click on the image on this page for ticketing! ALL CLASSES: The 2nd semester OPP has now been posted. The DUE DATE is May 31, 2023. Check out the Teen Tix Calendar to see what show(s) you want to see before then. You can turn in your OPP as soon as you see a show - you don't have to wait until May! Into The Woods and Les Miserables are both coming to the 5th. It is a short week! You only go to your classes TWICE this week, and then BREAK! Costume and Scenic, 5th: Ground Plans Technical Theatre, 6th: Lighting Drama 1 & 2, 7th: Finish TMWCTD, Journal Writes Production Workshop: NOTE the CHANGES on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week! ALL Cast and PA’s: please respond to the ML to show you understand the Monday change, and to check in, ask questions!
TICKETS GO ON SALE ONLINE on WEDNESDAY, FEB 8, 2023, for HONK! The Musical. The ticketing link will be posted on the HOME PAGE of this site. Featured on the Monday Letter is Seattle Rep's acclaimed, I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER. It is on TEENTIX and playing now. I have updated the Thespy posting to include the newest ranking results: Disha Cattamanchi, National Qualifier, Playwriting. Congratulations, Disha! ALL CLASSES: The 2nd semester OPP has now been posted. The DUE DATE is May 31, 2023. Check out the Teen Tix Calendar to see what show(s) you want to see before then. You can turn in your OPP as soon as you see a show - you don't have to wait until May! Into The Woods and Les Miserables are both coming to the 5th. Remember, the OPP is for professional shows only, though you are encouraged to go see other High School performances. If you do, let me know, and I will give you 5 points extra credit. Costume and Scenic, 5th: Reading Honk! The Musical, and working on Scenic design. Technical Theatre, 6th: Reading Honk! The Musical, and working on Sound design. Drama 1 & 2, 7th: Group Reads of The Man Who Came To Dinner! Production Workshop: Wednesday, February 8, is Community Poster Day! The groups have been created based on your input on the collaborative one note Poster page. If there are any changes, let Mac know right away!
Congratulations to everyone who ranked for State or Nationals at Thespys. It was lovely to see Troupe 3422 decked out in R&J/Page to Stage, and rewarding to have Juanita impressively represented throughout the day with, as you can see from the posting, rankings in every category we entered. This reflects how comprehensive our program is. It was equally rewarding to see the support and deep interest you showed each other and the presenters and performers from other schools. Juanita Drama will be attending the State Thespian Festival on March 17, at WWU in Bellingham, where all students will have the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops throughout the day. A letter was sent to families in the after school class, with forms attached. If you want to attend State, you need to bring the signed permission slip and medical consent form to class on Monday. ALL assignments for the semester are now due. Check Skyward and let me know if anything is missing or if you have questions. Monday, in all classes, is a fresh start as we begin the Semester #2! See you in class! Theatre Production Workshop HONK CAST: Please update the Costume Chart. Black for costume pieces found, red for costume pieces not yet found. There should be no X's on the chart at this point. The Costume Chart is in the Collaborative Folder on One Note. HONK CAST: Work all songs daily so that you are fully prepared as a vocal leader in the cast.
Congratulations to everyone who attended Thespys on Saturday! I am so proud of Juanita Drama. It was a fulfilling and eventful day in the performance and technical rooms. It will be fun to keep talking and sharing all the amazing experiences from the day! Costume & Scenic, Technical Theatre, Drama 1 & 2: On Monday, we will be doing reflections (Teams) and self-assessments. Please make sure you bring a fully charged computer. During the Finals periods for Costume & Scenic, Tech Theatre, and Drama 1 & 2, we will be doing practicals - which means you don't have to study for anything, and nothing is due on the day of the final. Just show up ready to engage in the activities for each class. We are on a very different schedule this week: 6th, I will see you at 7:50am on Friday for some early morning Drama! ALL assignments for the semester are now due. Check Skyward and let me know if anything is missing or if you have questions. We have a light schedule for after school Drama to let you focus on your finals! Please read carefully: Production Workshop:
Hello Drama! We have a lot of fun things happening this week! Signing up for next year's classes, final projects due, Musical Rehearsals and Thespys! We have been steadily working up to this week. I am proud of all of you and have been enjoying our time together. Need some encouragement or support? Reach out! Registering for Drama Classes for next year: Go to the HOME Page to see the video on Theatre Class course offerings for next Fall. Share with friends who might be interested. Share with your families so they can see what we are doing in Drama! Signing up for the Theatre Production Workshop after school class? All you need to do is add it to your list of courses. It will say 0 credit because it is outside of the regular school day, but it WILL count as an ART or Elective Credit. Don't forget to ADD Production Workshop to your registration, so that you are guaranteed a spot in the class in the Fall! Have friends interested in joining Drama? Share! 5th and 6th: Design Projects for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and Blithe Spirit are DUE at the beginning of class on Friday, January 20. You will have Tuesday and Block Day to complete your work. Upload everything to your One Note folder. Need help? Just ask! 7th: performances on Monday! Thespy Partipants: see the note below in the week's calendar for Wed. If you are presenting or performing you can may come starting at 1:00 to set up. We will also be setting up during 6th period. Here is a LINK TO THE THESPY LETTER that went out to families. Production Workshop:
Hello Drama! Good job jumping back into school and Drama! We had a great week of progressing on projects, Thespys and the Musical! There are two regular weeks left of the semester (one has only four days!) and then it is final's week. Crazy, right? Look below in the class section for info on due dates for projects. The image on this week's Monday Letter will take you to the Thespy Site because it is THESPY MONTH!! We are preparing to head over to Nathan Hale High School on Saturday, January 21, 2023, to participate in LIVE Thespy events! I sent a letter to all participants and families last week with information and the itinerary for the day. Please let me know on your Monday Letter Response that you received the letter. I will also post the itinerary for the day on the Thespy One Note page for 9th period. HOODIES are here and will be distributed on Monday. If you missed purchasing a HOODIE, and want one, I ordered 10 extra. First come, first HOODIED! ASK me about how to pay for the Hoodie if you hope to get one of the extras. Everyone else is already paid and set to go. DRAMA BOARD: Look in our One Note folder because I have placed a Hoodie page with names of those paid. I have finished and returned all OPP's that were submitted. I thoroughly enjoyed them. You all did an amazing job this time around - the best submissions I have ever had. It is clear you are learning by leaps and bounds in Drama classes and applying what you know to the performance responses. Missed getting yours in on time? Submit and send me a note explaining the circumstances.
Production Workshop:
WEDNESDAY, January 18, we will have a round of Thespy Presentations and Performances. ALL DRAMA is part of presenting, performing, adjudicating (filling out rubrics) and/or as an audience. This is an extended day, from 1:15 - 2:30 for presentations, followed by Musical rehearsal until 5:30pm. I wanted to give everyone a head's up to make sure you are there and prepared. Very important lead up to THESPYS the following Saturday! Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] the Week of Monday, January 2, 2023 Hello Drama! Welcome to a brand new year (calendar wise) and a continuation of all things Juanita Drama! I hope you have enjoyed your break. I know it is a LOT to think about jumping back in to school after a couple of weeks of sleeping in, BUT we will do it together, and that is what makes Drama an amazing experience! The image on this week's Monday Letter will take you to the Thespy Site because it is THESPY MONTH!! We are preparing to head over to Nathan Hale High School on Saturday, January 21, 2023, to participate in LIVE Thespy events! I heard back from Washington State Thespians and all of our entries went through and are approved! Yay and thank you to everyone who helped with that arduous process! Juanita has registered 45 events with 50+ students from Juanita attending as participants in: monologue, duo scene, group scene, solo song, duet, playwriting, costume design, costume construction, stage management, sound design, makeup design, scenic design and our first ever musical theatre dance (Washington State is Beta Testing this category!!). EVERYONE who is participating in an event should be pouring over the rubrics and preparing to present or perform your submissions! We fulfilled the HOODIE ORDER and they will arrive to be handed out the week of January 9! I am working my way through OPP's. I am returning them as soon as they are graded. Missed getting yours in on time? Submit and send me a note explaining the circumstances.
Production Workshop:
Hello Drama! The image on this week's Monday Letter is from the Sendak version of Seattle's Nutcracker. Do some research and look at the amazing and beloved scenic design that was part of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker for 31 years in Seattle. The scenic design is breathtaking and unique, very Maurice Sendak, the author of Where The Wild Things Are. The snowy trees are a painted scrim (see through with lighting from the back) with a gobo and gel used for the moon that is lit on a blue cyclorama upstage. 'Snow' fell throughout this scene onto the dancers, part of the Snow Queen scene. Beautiful. We said a fond farewell to our own amazing production, Romeo & Juliet, at a very successful student matinee on Thursday. As one of the audience members said, 'it was fire!'. Congratulations on bringing back the show after a three week rest. It was amazing to see the show grow and soar to new understanding. This unique and engaging piece of theatre was gift to everyone who experienced it, including the R&J company, and our audiences. ALL Thespy entries need to be in the ONE NOTE with complete information. If you miss this deadline, I cannot register you late. Please be updated by Monday. IMPORTANT: ADD your personal email on the One NOTE. See the TEAMS message about this, and follow instructions to show me you received the message. This WEDNESDAY is the deadline for the semester OPP's. I have graded and returned those that have already been turned in, so look in TEAMS for those papers. The OPP form is simple to follow: just copy and paste the questions onto a word document, answer them, and submit through TEAMS. If you have questions, please ask! If you are going to be missing the deadline make sure you have communicated that with the reason why you are not able to submit on time. Costume/Scenic: Costume Charts are due on Monday. Next up: character sketches! Technical Theatre: Ground plans are due on TUESDAY. Next up: scenic sketches! Drama 1 & 2: We are hard at work on all of the performances! Make sure you have scripts printed, or if you need help with that, let me know! Everyone needs to have a highlighted script they are working off of! Production Workshop:
OPP's are DUE one week from Wednesday. The full assignment is on TEAMS. There are lots of shows on TeenTix! Cinderella at the Village Theatre looks fun - it is a wonderful musical! The pic on the left shows some AMAZING costumes! I am planning on seeing this show. For those of you who have more than one Drama class: submit your OPP into the FIRST class period you have, and put a note to remind me to duplicate the OPP grade for Theatre Production Workshop. If you have questions, ask! Costume/Scenic: MCM Dramaturgy Research is due on Monday. Make sure you check One Note to stay on track. Next up: Costume Charts! Technical Theatre: We will be working on Dramaturgy and moving on to Ground Plans for Blithe Spirit! Drama 1 & 2: ALL of you should have your performance choices approved. On to rehearsals! Production Workshop:
Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk, MTS, CTE She/Her Juanita High School Theatre Director Technical and Performance Teacher Performing and Visual Arts Team Leader Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar WildeNov 14, 2022 attended The Wiz Friday night. Lots of fun! Fabulous voices, a tap number by the Tin Man and an adorable Toto! The image on the Monday Letter shows what you receive when you use your TeenTix to see the show. Go to the Box Office (as early as possible when they open - call first!) and show them your TeenTix pass. The OPP deadline is less than two weeks away on Wed Dec 14! For ALL classes: we have been reviewing THESPYS, rubrics and how to's. You will need to make a commitment for up to three category events by Thursday, December 8th. If you have questions please ask! I will begin registering our group the next day. We will talk more about Thespys this week🎭. Costume/Scenic: We begin The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 on Monday, with a read of the play before we dive into the dramaturgy of the 1940's and a costume design of the characters in the play! Technical Theatre: Read-a-loud of Blithe Spirit starting on Monday! Drama 1 & 2: choosing monologues, duo scenes, solo songs and duets following the THESPY guide/rubrics. Production Workshop:
Costume/Scenic: You have a Teams assignment that is due. Most of you have already submitted. If you haven't then go to Teams and complete the assignment. Your costume sketches were due on Friday for the Fairytale characters. Surprises ahead this week! Technical Theatre: The goal was to finish Blithe Spirit on Friday and do the journal that was posted on One Note. I am looking forward to discussing scenic design for Blithe Spirit, and introducing you to the Thespy Scenic Design Rubric this week! Drama 1 & 2: If you weren't in class on Friday, go to One Note and do the Creating Character Assignment. We will continue with performances (Thursday's were amazing!) for RFM, connecting our work to the article. Production Workshop: We have a two day week ahead of us! I am also putting in what we are doing the Monday following the break, so you can plan ahead! We will talk about this in class.
It is wonderful to see all the 'good friends' in Drama! To everyone who has masks around the building: leave them displayed. We will be talking about a timeline to remove them so you can take them home. The OPP deadline is ONE MONTH AWAY on Wed Dec 14! Make SURE you have filled in the OPP page on One Note that tells me what show you are seeing or streaming. There are lots of shows happening before the deadline, including THE WIZ at 5th Ave!! I HIGHLY recommend seeing this show. It will be a big costuming, tech filled extravaganza! Already seen your OPP show? Go see as many as you can! If you share that you went to see an extra show with me (PIC FOR PROOF, either shown to me in class or emailed to me) you can earn 10 extra credit points. Costume/Scenic:: This week we will be working on the Fairytale Fashion Show. Come prepared to sketch with your partner(s) as you imagine a costume from head to toe! Technical Theatre: new unit! Scenic Builds! Drama 1 & 2: Your goal is to come to class memorized and ready to move on to characterization and blocking for RFM. R&J students who were not cast in RFM: I have a surprise in store for you! Production Workshop: This is a great day to set aside 30 minutes and clean your personal spaces. You will feel so much better! This week we have some show chores to do, and then on to THESPYS and the HOLIDAY VARIETY SHOW! There will be lots of information about both coming your way. Make sure you go to the ONE NOTE THESPY PAGE and look at all the links!
Nov 8, 2022Congratulations to the Romeo & Juliet Company for a brilliant weekend of shows with our lovely audiences! We are heading into our final weekend, with four shows left. PERSONALLY invite people to the show! Remind them that if they purchase online to use a laptop and choose their own seats - the mobile ap with BPY doesn't do that. Center section and aisle seats on the sides are the primo seats to select. We will also be selling at the Box Office starting one hour before the show. 5th: New unit: THRIFTED FASHION SHOW 6th: Lighting! 7th: Full group discussion on RFM 8th: Please drop your photos into the files on ONE NOTE, Content Library. NEEDED TODAY!! We have Greet the Buses on Thursday morning at 7:20am. Go to ONE NOTE, Content Library, Greet The Buses for your GROUP and LOCATION. Questions? Ask your Group Leader or Mac! Here is the calendar for the week! Monday, Nov 7, 2022 SHOW SHIRT DAY (Just wear them all week!!)
GREET THE BUSES 7:20AM Look on ONE NOTE for your Group, Location and Instructions Go home directly after school and show up for calls. Look carefully at call times!
E-Blast: on Wednesday, at 12:45-1:00: during the E-Blast, post an image of the Romeo & Juliet poster on your social media, websites, blogs. Email to friends and family. Be creative and have fun with this! Plan ahead. You can take a pic with YOU and the poster, add quotes and the link above to give quick access to ticketing. Parents! Help us out with this. Let's go viral on Wednesday, Oct 26! We are up on the big screens around school with Romeo & Juliet, which means our school publicity has begun! You will also see another screen with Juanita Drama featured. Juanita Drama is teaming with the Finlayson Family and the ALS Foundation to create The Haunt, on Oct 30 and 31. There will be more on the ML next week, and you can find lots of information on the screens AND in the bulletin. For those of you that live in the Kingsgate area, you know the Finlayson House - it is the one with the ENORMOUS Skeleton on the roof! Make plans to go to The Haunt! On Tuesday, Oct 25, some members of Drama are helping with the all-day Jazz Festival! If you are part of the crew for that day make sure you check in with your teachers on Monday, bring a sack lunch, and be in all black in 526 by 7:30am on Tuesday. We set up Monday right after rehearsal, so plan on an extra 15 minutes. 5th & 6th: Mask making this week (except Tuesday). Masks are DUE on FRIDAY, October 28th. 7th: Finish reading Rehearsal for Murder. The group reads will be Thur and Fri of this week. After School Theatre: *There is NO Production Crew this Wednesday. Crew is in on Thursday and Friday this week. Use this time to finish masks at home! *We will be distributing Show Shirts THURSDAY at the start of rehearsal. Make sure you have turned in your receipt (or shown it on your phone) to Aria and Trinity. I sent instructions to your parents on how to purchase online through the Bookkeeper. *Community Poster counts as Volunteer Hours for Honor Society Monday, Oct 24, 2022
TICKETS are NOW on SALE at BROWN PAPER TICKETS! ALL CLASSES: Fill out the OPP Chart for your class. You will find it on One Note under the Collaboration section. You need to CHOOSE what show you will be doing your OPP on, and post to the Chart. This is a past due graded assignment. If you CHANGE what show you are going to see, then simply change it on the Chart and let me know. If you are in more than one class, fill out BOTH Charts! 5 & 6: We are starting a new unit on Monday connected to Romeo & Juliet. Get ready to tap into your creativity as we head into the world of Venetian Masking! 7th! More SKM! This Week in After School Drama 'She doth teach the torches to burn bright!' 1. DROP SCRIPT starting on Monday 2. R&J Project for TECH given out on TUESDAY (don't miss this day!!) 3. Community Poster Day on FRIDAY, Oct 21, 9:45 - 2pm Groups have been created based on the One Note Sign Ups. You will find out your group and your area on THURSDAY during Tech Time. Plan to walk a lot outside, so dress appropriately. Bring food or money to get lunch! Need help with lunch? Ask Mac! All groups start and end at Juanita. We will talk about this on Tuesday, so have your questions ready!
ALL CLASSES: Fill out the OPP Chart for your class. You will find it on One Note under the Collaboration section. you need to CHOOSE what show you will be doing your OPP on, and post that to the Chart by FRIDAY, October 14. This is a graded assignment. If you CHANGE what show you are going to see, then simply change it on the Chart and let me know. If you are in more than one class, fill out BOTH Charts! 5 & 6: We are continuing on, finishing and showcasing the Build A Costume project this week! 7th! Read A Play week! SKM! 8th: Production Workshop: Check Teams to make sure you are current with everything that was posted since the start of school this year. I sent back about 15 of the TeenTix/Course Outline. If you are in more than one class and completed this in your other class then re-submit with a note telling me that. This Week in After School Drama "What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee." — Tybalt Please go THE CLASS ONE NOTE and complete the following list as it applies to you. The instructions are on One Note.
Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Happy October! This the perfect month to see a show for your OPP. There are so many shows out right now! Click on the calendar image to access the live calendar on TEENTIX, so you can explore all the cool shows you can see for only $5 using your TEENTIX pass. Already seen a show? Get your OPP in! Be sure not to wait too long or you will miss the deadline to see a show before the OPP is due on Dec 14. Need help to understand how to use TEENTIX? Just ask me! 5 & 6: THANK you to parents who sent in stuffing! We have plenty to finish all the projects now! On Tuesday of this week we will have a showcase of the projects and a chance to do a self-assessment. Remember to bring in your article of clothing on Monday for our newest project: building a costume piece out of an existing article of clothing. I have heard some fabulous ideas: a corset made out of old shoes; a zombie football player made from an old jersey; a cape made from a dress. What is your idea? 7th! Blank Scenes are amazing! I can't wait to see the rest of the groups on Monday! 5th, 6th, 7th: Check Teams to make sure you are current with all of your assignments. This Week in After School Drama "O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable."— Juliet I am looking forward to having the full company in for rehearsal on Monday! Make sure you sign in on the CHECK IN sheets as you come down the back hallway. Use your own pencil or pen. Production Crew is in until 3:35 on observation days BUT can choose to stay until 4pm. Remember to leave the theatre through the lobby, go to the back hallway to sign out, and exit through the back door to the parking lot. SM=Stage Manager PA=Production Assistant Prod Crew=Production Crew The calendar has no changes for this week.
Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
HI Drama! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready to jump back into school! I am pleased to announce that Juanita Drama will be producing William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet for our Fall Production. ALL classes will have an opportunity to participate in some aspect of producing the play. Congratulations to the after school Romeo & Juliet Production Company! 5 & 6: If you took a sewing project home make sure you bring it back on Monday! IMPORTANT!! WE NEED STUFFING for our sewing projects! Ask your parents if you have bags of stuffing (what is used to stuff toys!) at your house that you could bring to class on Monday. You can drop it off in 526 under the printer table on Monday morning. If anyone in 7th or 8th has donations of stuffing it would be more than welcome! 7th! Great work on getting your stage directions down. It was fun doing some choreo with you! I am looking forward to our next class as we begin work on Blank Scenes. Curious? 5th, 6th, 7th: Have you turned in the assignment The Theatre and You (on teams)? Complete the assignment and submit. Need help? Just ask! This Week in After School Drama “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.” R&J (Romeo) I have posted the PDF of R&J on One Note, Content Library. All Company, read the script to prep for Monday, and if you are reading as a character, practice reading out loud. We will ALL be together on stage, and I will be introducing techniques for approaching a Shakespearean text and our production. Make sure you have your notebooks, water and be set to start right away to make sure we get through the read. You will be amazed how much you will learn and how quickly we will be in the middle of producing R&J! SM=Stage Manager PA=Production Assistant
1-4pm Cast, PA’s, SM Only Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
5, 6 & 7: Most of you have your TeenTix and Course Outlines checked off. Check your grades! Still missing those? Let me know! Production Workshop: go to TEAMS and submit the form re: TeenTix/Course Outline. Responding to the Monday Letter is optional for 5, 6 & 7 and required for 8th. I want to encourage ALL students in ALL classes to respond to show me that you read the Monday Letter and to strengthen our connections. Your time in class will be enriched through those connections. These are chatty, informal responses! They do not have to be long. When you respond to the Monday Letter at [email protected]:
Costume/Scenic and Tech Theatre: we will be finishing our sewing projects. The skill sets learned in this project include: pattern making, pinning, cutting out a pattern, using a needle and thread, sewing on embellishments and buttons, blanket stitching edges and using fiber fill to finish out the shape. It has been so much fun working with you and to be surrounded by fabricators! Drama 1 & 2: we will be finishing the Following Stage Direction unit and moving on to 2 person blind scenes! Our goal for FSD is to be intentional and natural with your movements, following the standards of stage crosses and positions. I love watching you lean into the ideas we have been exploring. I particularly like seeing you move around the stage, bringing the vocabulary alive with your crosses. Make sure you know the vocabulary from the FSD packet because we will have a quiz on Tuesday! Theatre Production Workshop: we will be preparing for and performing the tableaus and scenes based on the Shakespearean quote each of your group has been given. Research your play, quote and character moment. Bring lots of research (written in your journal) to your group rehearsal on Monday. The more you know, the more fun all of this will be, and the stronger your tableaus and scenes will be! Please be fully memorized when you join your group on Monday. Say the quote over and over, slowly, and with great intent. use writing, art and music to fully explore and memorize your quote. Write it out. Write it out in a vertical line with each word being on a new line. Write it out in a circle or a shape. Draw what it means to you. Put it to music!
This Week in After School Drama:
What fun to see your amazing faces brightening up the Drama Hallway, 526 and the Stage. We are off to a great year together growing our learning community and exploring the world of Theatre! Featured on the Monday Letter this week is our very own Disha Cattamanchi, a member of the TeenTix Teen Editorial Staff. Disha is a SENIOR at Juanita who signed up for TeenTix as a 9th grader in Drama 1, and found a perfect outlet for her passion for writing and the Theatre. TeenTix has so much to offer all of you with cool articles, $5 Theatre tickets, and a connection to other teens who, like you, are eager to get out and see some shows! Have you signed up for TeenTix and shown Mac your TeenTix pass? Click on the photo to explore the TeenTix site. Look at the Calendar and see what shows you want to go see! PRO TIP for SUCCESS at SCHOOL! Use a physical planner to enter assignments and deadlines for your busy lives!
This week in Theatre Production Workshop our work will revolve around building the Fall Juanita Drama Company and preparing for Auditions. The Conflict Sheet and Audition Form will be given out, and will include the dates of the FALL PRODUCTION! So much fun is ahead! Pay attention to the class times posted below. Parents of After School Drama Students: please pick students up at the BACK of the Theatre where they will be exiting. They need about 5 minutes after class ends to gather their things. The schedule for each week will be posted on the Monday Letter. Once we are in our play production schedule, students will have a Production Calendar that shows the daily schedule for the group they are assigned to. I will still post the weekly schedule, with any updates, on the Monday Letter. Students who are new to the program will get a much better understanding of how it all works during the workshops in class this week. This Week in After School Drama:
Questions? Just ask!Hello Drama! Wow! Seniors! You quick-change to Juanita Drama ALUMNI on Tuesday, June 14, somewhere around noonish! Enjoy the final few days of being a Senior (see you at Senior Breakfast!) and have a wonderful time at Graduation! We will welcome you back on Thursday, June 16, when ALL DRAMA gathers for our final day in Drama for the year! I LOVED watching so many amazing, creative Soundscapes in Tech Theatre. Definitely Thespy worthy entries were shared in the 526 Screening Room! Who knew rocks could be so charming? 7th! We will finish up the year with Much Ado and a bit more Shakespeare! Congratulations to everyone who participated in Juanita Drama this year. We have had an extraordinary year, and I can confidently say that Juanita Drama has fully returned as a thriving, inclusive, and skilled Theatre Company! This is the FINAL Monday Letter of the 21-22 School Year! The next Monday Letter will be posted on Sunday, August 19, with some Back To Drama info! Production Workshop: please fill out the Leadership/Drama Board Survey on TEAMS. It is DUE by 6pm on Sunday, June 12, 2022. After School Schedule: Monday: SCHOOL IS CLOSED. I WILL UPDATE WEDNESDAY TOMORROW Everyone take care and message me if you need to. Love all of you. TUESDAY 6/14/2022 No Drama (Asynch Graduation Day! - Watch the Live Stream!) WEDNESDAY 6/15/2022 1:15 - 2:30pm Anyone interested in Leadership for 22-23. CAROLINE, ARIA, TRINITY, JEREMY, DISHA, BEN, MICHAEL, KAYLEE UNTIL 4:30. THURSDAY 6/16/2022 2:45 - 5:30pm ALL DRAMA AND 2022 Alumni! FINAL DAY IN DRAMA FOR THE YEAR! FRIDAY 6/17/2022
Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] is just around the corner and there is SO MUCH THEATRE for you to experience! Posted on the Monday Letter this week is SEATTLE THEATRE, a fabulous resource! Go explore it at https://www.seattle-theatre.com/. THEN cross reference to TEENTIX to see what you can see for only %5! There are also lots of FREE performances, including Seattle Shakespeare's Summer in the Parks series. Keep growing and having fun with Theatre all summer long! Congratulations to everyone who produced the end of the year VARIETY SHOW on Friday Night. The show was perfect in every way, a lovely, strong end to an amazing year for Juanita Drama! Thank you for the work, the joy and the warmth that surrounded the evening's event. The audience was generous with their laughter, applause AND donations to Hopelink! We collected SO MUCH FOOD and almost $300! We will continue to collect donations on Monday and Tuesday - bring them to class, or leave them in the classroom in the morning. During Leadership on Tuesday we will sort and move the food to my car to deliver to Hopelink. Yay! All classes meet on Monday, and then we follow a block schedule for the remainder of the week. 6th Period TECH class SOUNDSCAPES are DUE on Monday. We will be uploading them together in class, so make sure you have your file ready to go! It should be in an MP4 Format. You will have time on Monday to convert if you need help with that. 7th Period is deciding whether Get Bill Shakespeare off the Stage is read-worthy! Production Workshop will be getting ready this week for SENIOR FAREWELL. The date has been moved up to THURSDAY. See below. After School Schedule: MONDAY 6/6/2022
What an exciting week ahead! This Friday is Drama's FINAL SHOW OF THE YEAR. We are doing a razzle-dazzle Variety Show! Admission is donation of food or cash for HOPELINK. All Tickets will be sold at the door. Invite friends, family, teachers, and classmates! ALL Drama, whether you are in the show or attending the show, please bring a donation for HOPELINK. This is a one night only show, so make sure you get there early enough to get a ticket! Tickets will go on sale at 6pm in the Lobby, and the doors will open at 6:40pm. Do your part through Socials, Whiteboards and word of mouth to promote Juanita Drama's Variety Show this FRIDAY at 7pm! Before we get to Friday, however, we have a busy and interesting week in classes and rehearsals. 6th Period TECH class is working on SOUNDSCAPES, short films that use visuals and the power of sound to drive the narrative. Check your email because I sent a recap of the assignment to you last Thursday! 7th Period has day TWO of our in-class show! I am LOVING these performances. Production Workshop is busy teching, rehearsing and getting ready for an AUDIENCE this Friday! After School Schedule: MONDAY NO SCHOOL TUESDAY 5/31/2022
Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] Drama! Congratulations to all Drama students who were a part of the Spring Fest on Saturday! Our display, featured on this ML, was amazing, and you all did a fabulous job of prepping and running the event. It was fun to hang out with the photo booth, shirt sales and costume groups and to see other Drama students at the Spring Fest! Look for more pics at the bottom of the page! This week in Tech Theatre we are designing sound for a scene from First Date! The first drafts are DUE on Monday. You will be in design TEAMS sharing your work, so make sure you are ready for that! 7th Period Drama 1 and Drama 2 will have two more days to get the class Variety Show ready for performances during BLOCK on Thursday! We will be teching in your acts on Tuesday. I am looking forward to seeing what you have to share! And speaking of VARIETY SHOWS!!! Mark your calendars for Friday, June 3, 2022, at 7pm, for Drama's FINAL SHOW OF THE YEAR, featuring performances from the Production Workshop Group!! Admission is a donation of CASH or DRY FOOD for Hopelink. All seating is General Admission. Seating will open at 6:30pm! Invite your friends and family and publicize the show! We will work on publicity this week. After School Schedule: MONDAY 5/23/2022
TUESDAY 5/24/2022
WEDNESDAY 5/25/2022
THURSDAY 5/26/2022
FRIDAY 5/27/2022 NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] Drama! You have one more week left to see a live production or view a streamed show before your OPP's are due on May 17th on TEAMS! The image on the ML this week is from Much Ado About Nothing, the current Seattle Shakespeare production playing at the Center House in Seattle. A big group from Juanita attended last Thursday and had a blast. Ask them about the show! After School Schedule: MONDAY 5/9/2022
TUESDAY 5/10/2022
WEDNESDAY 5/11/2022
THURSDAY 5/12/2022
FRIDAY 5/13/2022 Caroline, Naima, Michael, Autumn ONLY 2:45 - 4:00pm Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected]Happy May! See how many flowering trees you can find on your way to school on Monday. They are in their glory this week! I am going to SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE on Thursday to experience MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! One of my friends is playing Dogberry (so fun!). Much Ado is on TEEN TIX, so join me for the 7:30pm production for only $5. I will find out by Monday if I can reserve a block of tickets for Juanita Students, or if you need to get your tickets at the door before the show. Fun opportunity for you, but optional to attend this show. Click on the image and check out the Seattle Shakespeare website. Go to www.teentix.org/ to see what live shows are out there! There are excellent choices to stream if you are not going to see a show live. Tech Theatre! Monday is the final day to work on your 6 Frames lighting projects to be ready to present on Tuesday! Drama 1 & 2: FINAL MASK BUILD is DUE on Monday to be checked off, and then you will have the period to work on your presentations with a partner for TUESDAY! I will review the assignment on Monday. After School Schedule: MONDAY 5/2/2022 All Drama until 3:35 LEADERSHIP until 5:30pm TUESDAY 5/3/2022 All Drama until 3:35 LEADERSHIP until 5:30pm WEDNESDAY 5/4/2022 LEADERSHIP ONLY 1:10 - 2:00pm THURSDAY 5/5/2022 No Drama Attend Much Ado About Nothing (TEENTIX) at Seattle Shakespeare at 7:30pm. I will be there! This would count as an OPP or, if you have already seen/done your OPP, come for the experience! Click on the link attached to the pic for more info on the Seattle Shakespeare Company! FRIDAY 5/6/2022 No Drama A wonderful spring week is in front of us! I hope you all had a chance to get out in the sunshine this weekend. We went over to Greenlake on Saturday and a drumming group invited Nathan to play with them. He had a blast (ask me and I will show you the video). Art is everywhere, and all you have to do is get out and about and find it! I am going to the Taproot Theatre this week to see Spitfire Grill. What are you watching for your OPP? They are DUE by May 17. I have already graded and returned several - get yours right after you see your show! Still choosing? Check out the ONE NOTE OPP Page that 7th period put together for ideas if you haven't already seen a show. The page is posted on ALL classes. Go to www.teentix.org/ to see what live shows are out there! There are excellent choices to stream if you are not going to see a show live. Tech Theatre: Check to see if you have a Teams Assignment for the Deep Dive Hamilton OR if i already put your grade in because you were part of the discussion groups on Friday. We will finish the discussion on Monday and move on. Drama 1 & 2: We will be working on masks this week! After School Schedule: MONDAY 4/25/2022 All Drama until 3:35 Spring Showcase ACTS until 5:30pm I will be asking who wants to tech the show on this day. If you do, plan to stay until 5pm. TUESDAY 4/26/2022 Spring Showcase ACTS and TECH until 4:30pm Drama Board until 5:30pm WEDNESDAY 4/27/2022 Optional Rehearsal Time for Spring Showcase Acts No Tech THURSDAY 4/28/2022 SPRING SHOWCASE!! ACTS and TECH arrive at 2:45 If you are not in either of these groups you are expected to be part of the audience.
FRIDAY 4/29/2022 LEADERSHIP 2:45 - 5:00PM Questions? Just Ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] ALL of you!! OPP's are DUE by May 17. Check out the ONE NOTE OPP Page that 7th period put together for ideas if you haven't already seen a show. The page is posted on ALL classes. Go to www.teentix.org/ to see what live shows are out there! After School Schedule: MONDAY 4/18/2022 2:45 - 5pm Murder Mystery Group Meetings ITW Movie, ACT 2 TUESDAY 4/19/2022 Leadership 2:45 - 4:00pm Drama Board until 5pm WEDNESDAY 4/20/2022 Murder Mystery Games 4 - 8pm THURSDAY 4/21/2022 ALL DRAMA 2:45 - 3:05 Spring SHOWCASE ACTS until 5pm FRIDAY 4/22/2022 NO AFTER SCHOOL DRAMA Questions? Just Ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] And you think of all the things you've seen And you wish that you could live in between And you're back again Only different than before After the sky. Jack, Into the Woods Theatre is transformative. We will take ITW with us, allowing it to shape us in wonderous and still to be discovered ways, for the rest of our lives. Isn't that lovely? 6th Period: Limitation Prop Scripts! Have you uploaded yours to One Note? 7th Period: Script Excerpt Reading Day! MONDAY 3/28/2022 Final OFFICIAL Show Shirt Day! 2:45 - 4:00 (ALL DRAMA)
BANG! CRASH! And the Lightning Flash and - well that's another story never mind - Anyway, at last the big day came, I made my claim. "Oh don't take away the baby!" They shrieked and screeched, but I did! And I hid her where she'll never be reached! Your father cried and your mother died. But for extra measure-I admit it was a pleasure- I said "Sorry I'm still not mollified" and I laid a little spell on them. You too son! That your family tree will always be a barren one! The Witch, Into The Woods Solid, fun, lovely opening weekend with all of you! On To WEEK TWO!! 6th Period: Prop Demos and ITW Prop Shop on Monday! 7th Period: Thank you for helping on Friday. We will continue on with Billy Elliot! I have put in a $5 THURSDAY Ticket price on Brown Paper Tickets for ALL STUDENTS! Let's get a house full of Juanita Students at the show this Thursday! 6th and 7th: ATTEND THE SHOW AND FILL OUT THE TEAMS EXTRA CREDIT FORM FOR 10 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS! This includes any students in BOTH 6th/7th AND Production Workshop! Production Workshop Calls for ITW are listed below. MONDAY 3/21 (times differ from printed calendar; bringing in our new wolf and prince this week!)
THURSDAY 3/24 7PM Show ($5 Thursday for ALL students - spread the word! Tickets can be purchased online)
FRIDAY 3/25 7pm Show Same as Thursday, though you have the option to go a bit slower after the talk since it isn't a school night. All students need to be picked up by 10:30pm. SATURDAY 3/26 Matinee
SATURDAY 3/26 7:00PM
2:45 - 4:00 (ALL DRAMA)
AFTER THE RUN ON SATURDAY:
Little Red Riding Hood It is OPENING WEEK for Into The Woods! Three more Dress Rehearsals and THEN WE OPEN!! Encourage friends, families, teachers, classmates to come see the show! Help us SELL OUT THE SHOW! Drama Classes are exploring The Importance of Being Earnest in 6th, and Billy Elliot in 7th. See you soon for a great week! Production Workshop Calls for ITW are listed below. If you were here for the Saturday Full Dress Run make sure that you check your email! MONDAY 3/14
TICKETING MEETING 12:50 - 1:10 at the BOX OFFICE
FRIDAY 3/18 7pm Show Same as Thursday, though you have the option to go a bit slower after the talk since it isn't a school night. All students need to be picked up by 10:30pm. SATURDAY 3/19 Matinee
This is a BIG ML with lots of times, so if you see something amiss let me know! “I was raised to be charming, not sincere. I didn’t ask to be born a King, and I am not perfect. I am only human.” Cinderella's Prince Into The Woods is right on track to open on March 17th! Tickets are on sale at BPT - just click the link above to get to the site. Keep promoting the show, and make sure your friends and family have their tickets! Have a place for a poster? Take one from the box in 526 and put it up! Technical Theatre has PROPS CHART due for The Importance of Being Earnest this week. Drama 1&2 are choosing a new play to purchase and read. I am looking forward to another amazing week with all of you! The actors in Into The Woods will be wearing wireless mics, with placement on the forehead. This is THE way to mic up. Here is an interesting article to take a look at about mics: https://screenrant.com/hamilton-movie-musical-cast-microphones-foreheads-reason/ Production Workshop: We open ONE WEEK from Thursday! Everyone in Theatre Production Workshop has now been assigned a running crew or cast position - check ONE NOTE, Class Notes, ITW for your assignment. If you are now part of Booth or Stage Crew look for an additional email from MAC and respond! SHOW SHIRTS are HERE (!!) and will be distributed Wednesday at 1:00pm in the THEATRE! MONDAY 3/7
You have to every now and then Into the woods, no telling when Be ready for the journey' Stephen Sondheim, Into The Woods On Wednesday, at 12:45, ALL Drama, is doing an EBLAST for INTO THE WOODS! What does that mean? Grab the digital poster off of this site and post it on your social media accounts AND get your friends and family to do the same. You can also send an email chain out to relatives who may not be on your insta:)! SUPPORT our push to SELL OUT the show!! The Eblasts are a Juanita Drama tradition and are great because we are all doing the post at the same time! I will post to the Drama Instagram page, so look for that! Reminder: ITW Tickets are on sale at the BPT site - follow the link at the top of the letter. Make sure you are encouraging your friends and families to pop on and get their tickets. We open two weeks from Thursday on March 17! STAFF TICKETS: Staff will be receiving an email on Monday Morning with instructions on how to order and print their online tickets for ITW. I am including a Company List with your names and what positions you have in the show! It is always nice to get a personal invitation, so write short notes to your teachers inviting them to your show. Avoid email and do it with a note you hand to them or put on their desk. I always feel great when a student takes the time to write me a note, and I have heard from teachers that they decided to come see a show because one of their students invited them (so nice). This is the week to do that! In Tech Theatre, Costume and Scenic designs were shared last week. Make SURE you have uploaded to TEAMS or you won't see a grade. We are on to PROPS! 7th is exploring what it means to choose a show for the High School stage, and putting together a comprehensive list of OPP opportunities for all the Drama classes. What show will you see? The OPP assignment is posted for ALL classes on TEAMS. Due date: May 17, 2022. On to another full week of ITW rehearsals, with final props, costume props, and all those lines, notes, choreo, blocking, character objectives IN THE SHOW! Practice while you MOVE. Line work is ACTIVE and CHARACTER driven! btw: the show shirts were approved and are currently being printed and shipped. Check to make sure your receipt was recorded on the Collaborative page. If not - let me know! ALSO: update or add your text info on the collaborative page to receive ITW texts! MONDAY
Congratulations to everyone who submitted to Thespys! The results are in and Juanita Drama received FOURTEEN STATE RANKINGS, and FIVE NATIONAL RANKINGS. ALL categories that Juanita entered received rankings, and everyone, whether they ranked or not, received great comments from the adjudicators. Five students are eligible to submit to Nationals in June, however ALL Juanita students can attend the week-long virtual event. More on this later! TICKETS are now on sale for INTO THE WOODS! Click HERE or the BPT Button at the top of this page. This show WILL SELL OUT, so make sure you encourage friends and family to purchase tickets online. We have already beat our first week's sale with PUFFS! ALL students in Drama classes will receive extra-credit for attending at least one of the performances of Into The Woods, so make your plans! See the Home Page of this website for the POSTER with dates and prices! Tech Theatre: Your scenic or costume builds are DUE on Wednesday of this week to TEAMS (see assignment page for how to submit). You need to bring your final product to class on Wednesday for show and tell! Drama 1 & 2: Full class discussion on Tuesday on Rehearsal for Murder . . . and other things! ALL CLASSES: The second semester OPP assignment is now posted, due on or before May 17, 2022. See Teams. There are a LOT more shows out there to go see LIVE for OPP#2. You can also choose to stream a show for this assignment. MONDAY: Last day of Midwinter BREAK! I hope you are having a good one!
Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy the 'tock-tick' article posted on this week's ML. There is even a mention of Little Red Riding Hood! I love this time of year. I am surrounded by bright, creative, interesting people exploring all things Theatre! Whether you are designing for The Hound of the Baskervilles, reading a part for Rehearsal for Murder, or working on ITW, POUR yourself into the experience! These are rare and fascinating opportunities that bring out the best in YOU. Take full advantage. It is SHOW SHIRT TIME! ANYONE can purchase an ITW Show Shirt, whether you are part of the ITW company, or just a FAN! They are destined to be a collector's item! The DEADLINE for making SURE that you have a shirt reserved is MONDAY, February 14. Here is the information you need to make that happen: ITW2022 Show Shirts are NOW ON SALE! The shirts are $20.
PRODUCTION WORKSHOP:
MONDAY: Love is in the air! Valentine Exchange
Tech Theatre has design statements due, then on to costume charts, scenic plots and builds for The Hound of the Baskervilles. Drama 1 & 2 will be reading a new play this week! Congratulations to everyone who finalized their submissions to Thespys. Juanita Drama has 21 entries this year in the following categories: Group Scene, Lighting, Costuming, Monologues, Solo Songs, Duets, Playwriting and Film. Wow! This Saturday's Tech work for ITW was fun and productive: we adjusted final placement of platforms, light batons were cleaned, LED upgrades to the stand lights went in, and the PUFFS Common Room walls were taken apart and are now ready to transform to Cinderella, Jack and the Baker's Houses. Well done! ITW2022 Show Shirts are NOW ON SALE! The shirts are $20.
ITW Tech: go to TEAMS to get the ITW TECH LOG Assignment! Let me know in your ML Response that you have the assignment. If you have questions, please ask! MONDAY:
Congratulations on making it back to in-person school, and completing our first semester, successfully! Keep showing up and staying together. Draw strength from each other and from the work we do as a community. I am grateful for all of you. Tech Theatre is in the middle of the design unit for The Hound of the Baskervlles, with mood boards for Costumes or Scenic being shared on Monday. We will then move on to learning the art of Design Statements. Drama 1&2 finished up with live and flipgrid performances! Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your work! We will continue this week with virtual visits to Broadway! Production Workshop: This is a big week for Into The Woods, because we start on our regular production Calendar! You will receive the full calendar during our Tech Time and Rehearsals this week. Saturday's Scenic Tech in was so much fun and we now have our platforms, ramps and steps on stage! Saturdays are fun - come if you can when you have Tech opportunities! MONDAY:
Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] Hi Drama! Back to the classroom! Yay! I have missed being with all of you at school, and look forward to a great week in classes, meetings and rehearsals. I know it is a big deal making the transition back to live classes, especially the final week of the semester, but in Drama: no stress, no worries. We got this! In Technical Theatre we are working on Research and Mood Boards for Costume and Scenic designs for The Hound of the Baskervilles (oh, that Beryl!). Drama 1 & 2 will continue exploring Broadway, ITW, and get back to performances. NO performances until THURSDAY. After School Class MONDAY:
10 - 11:15 Optional Tech Build, platforms/step units 11:30 - 4:30: ITW CAST + PA'S (Bring food and water!) Some costume fittings in the AM or PM - I will connect with individuals as needed. ****WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022****
Seniors: you are not registering (wow!), but you are excellent ambassadors for the program, and particularly for explaining how after school works. Share the video! ALL are welcome to link to wwwjuanitadrama.org on social to share the video! Parents who are reading the letter this week: watch the video! You will see your amazing students in it as well as see what we are up to when working in the theatre! We are on remote at least through Thursday. I do not yet know the Thursday schedule to put in the remote classes, but Tuesday/Wednesday are in. Tech Theatre is working on scenic and costume design for The Hound of the Baskervilles. Please read through at least ACT 2 for Wednesday's block class. Go to the One Note Collaborative PROJECT page and fill in whether you are doing Scenic or Costume for your project. It is time to make that final decision! Drama 1 & 2 will continue READING ITW on Tuesday during remote block. Be ready for a quiz on Act I! After School Class
Hi Drama! Go the HOME page of our WEBSITE to view the Video Course Outline, and share with your friends who are considering Drama for next year! Monday introduces COSTUME or SCENIC DESIGN projects in 6th period, Tech Theatre. It is time for PERFORMANCES in Drama 1 & 2. I am looking forward to working with all of you as you grow your theatre skills! Questions? Ask me in your Monday Letter responses. AUDITIONS for the role of RAPUNZEL, for Juanita Drama's production for Into The Woods, are on Monday. The audition is open to everyone at Juanita. Rapunzel is a high soprano part. If you want to sign up and receive audition information please email at [email protected]. Here is the 8th Period schedule: MONDAY
ITW TECH + PA's: 2:45 - 3:35
WENESDAY:
THURSDAY ITW Cast + PA: 2:45 - 5:30pm FRIDAY ITW Cast + PA: 2:45 - 530pm SATURDAY ITW Cast + PA: 11am - 2:30pm THESPY INFO: Click on this link for details: https://www.wathespians.org/thespys. We are Troupe 3422, and you will use Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk ([email protected]) as your Troupe Director and COLLABORATOR. PREPARE your submissions, but WAIT to submit until we are back in January! We will have a submission day, TOGETHER! Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected]/10/2022 Monday introduces COSTUME or SCENIC DESIGN projects in 6th period, Tech Theatre. It is time for PERFORMANCES in Drama 1 & 2. I am looking forward to working with all of you as you grow your theatre skills! Questions? Ask me in your Monday Letter responses. AUDITIONS for the role of RAPUNZEL, for Juanita Drama's production for Into The Woods, are on Monday. The audition is open to everyone at Juanita. Rapunzel is a high soprano part. If you want to sign up and receive audition information please email at [email protected]. Here is the 8th Period schedule: MONDAY
ITW TECH + PA's: 2:45 - 3:35
Hi Drama! I hope everyone had a nice break! I will see you on Monday to pick up where we left off last year! Here is the 8th Period schedule! CHANGES DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSURE ON MONDAY
OPP's are DUE on TUESDAY, December 14. The full assignment is on TEAMS. Is your information on One Note, OPP page, updated? The One Note info needs to match your OPP. If you are in TWO DRAMA classes make sure you complete for both classes! 6th Period: I am looking forward to the Harvey recast PPT presentations! 7th Period: This week brings us more work on monologues and solo songs! 8th Period Calendar: Monday, December 13: 2:45-5:30pm
Tuesday, December 14: 2:45 - 4:30pm
Wednesday, December 15: 1:15 - 3:30pm
Thursday, December 16: 2:45 - 4:45pm
Friday: December 17: 2:45 - 6:00pm
OPP's are DUE on TUESDAY, December 14! The full assignment is on TEAMS. Is your information on One Note, OPP page, updated? The One Note info needs to match your OPP. Have you seen West Side Story on stage or perhaps the original 1961 movie version? Sondheim wrote the lyrics, and he has a cameo in the upcoming Spielberg version. The movie is getting good reviews. Check out the TRAILER! On Sunday night there is a special about the new movie, with Stephen Sondheim's final interview. Here is an article from the New York Times on the ongoing controversy that follows West Side Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/01/theater/west-side-story-steven-spielberg-movie.html I am leaving up last week's Thespy Info in case you need it. Remember, all members of 8th period are required to register, and consider submitting. 6th and 7th students not in 8th are also invited to participate! THESPYS are 100% optional and 100% highly suggested! The International Thespian Society, and the Washington State Thespians sponsor this amazing experience for ALL Drama students. Thespys is a one of a kind opportunity (no-risk) for you to submit a performance or technical presentation and receive feedback from three adjudicators. All submissions are by recordings that I can help you with. You MUST submit works from a published (not internet published) play or musical. Click on this link for details: https://www.wathespians.org/thespys DID YOU MISS THIS LAST WEEK? On THURSDAY of last week we registered anyone who is planning on submitting a performance (monologues, duo scene, solo song, duet), or technical presentations. If you have done this before, or are confident you can follow the directions, register at any time (I have already seen some registrations come through). We are Troupe 3422, and you will use Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk ([email protected]) as your Troupe Director. Be BOLD, take advantage of this opportunity and plan to do Thespys! I will help anyone who is putting a submissions together. 6th Period: This week we will finish watching Harvey, discuss, and move on to Technical Scenic or Costume Designs! We will also pop into the Theatre to rig down the lighting and take a closer look at the lighting instruments. 7th Period: This week we will continue exploring character objective with each of you choosing and performing monologues (this can be your Thespy submission) OR choosing and performing a solo song from a musical (this can be your Thespy submission). LOTS more information in class! 8th Period Calendar: Monday, December 6: 2:45-4:00pm ONLY students who are interested or already working on TECHNICAL for Thespys Everyone else: use this time to work on your OPP’s at home Tuesday, December 7: 2:45 - 4:00pm ONLY students who are interested or already working on Monologue, Solo Songs, Duets for Thespys Everyone else: use this time to work on your OPP’s at home Wednesday, December 8: 1:15 - 3:00pm ONLY Drama Leadership Interested in joining Drama Leadership? Talk with Mac before Wednesday Everyone else: use this time to work on your OPP’s at home Thursday, December 9: 2:45 - 3:35pm ALL Drama Friday: 2:45 - 4:00pm Optional Thespy Day Thespy Help session: Let Mac know if you are attending this session Everyone else: use this time to work on your OPP’s Questions? Just ask! Take care, Mac [email protected] year, at this same time, the Drama website had under 50 daily hits. The past two weeks it has over 1000. Times change, yes? PUFFS was a huge success from the page to stage, from front of house to backstage, from our creative collaborations to the audience response. With noting, self reflection, practice and commitment every member of the PUFFS Production Company grew the show and responsibilities right up to closing on Saturday. The post-show event with Booth Awards and sharing was very special. Congratulations to everyone! Remember, you can craft and leave a note on my classroom door next week. 6th and 7th: ALL students who were part of the production or purchased a ticket and were in the audience: go to TEAMS to complete the PUFFS EXTRA CREDIT FORM! DUE BY TUESDAY AT 9pm (it is quick, so do it now so you get your points!). All Drama Students: We are beginning THESPYS THIS WEEK! Final submissions are due on TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022, but I would like to get as many of ours as possible submitted before the December break. If you did Thespys last year, you know what it is all about and can help with the buzz about the opportunity. ALL Drama students are eligible to submit performance or technical pieces (3 categories is the limit per student). My goal is to submit both technical and performance pieces from PUFFS, along with individual pieces. I will be sharing information over the next few days in Production Workshop, and working with you over the next few weeks. You can get a head start on reading through the information and rules at: https://www.wathespians.org/thespys Drama Leadership: make SURE you read and understand this information. This SHORT week in 8th: Monday: 2:30 - 5:00pm Strike and clean; Thespy info PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS, STAGE MANAGER, BOOTH, CAST Tuesday: 2:45-4:00pm ALL PUFFS COMPANY Thank you notes, end of play report; Thespy Info Wednesday: NO DRAMA! Have a great break!Hi!!! (Puff Style), Opening Week was a fabulous success! Congratulations to everyone involved in the Production! Please read through the following information carefully, so everyone in Classes and Production understands the week ahead! Show Shirt Official Days: Monday, Thursday, Friday BUT wear them as on the other days! Wear your button visible ALL days. INVITE people to the show! It is important to share that we sell tickets at the door, not just online. Spread the news! Invite your teachers! GREET THE BUSES IS THURSDAY AT 7:20am at the BUS DROP OFF! DISHA, TYLER and EVE are in charge of CANDY and POSTERS and Drama Leadership will meet you outside the entrance to the COURTYARD. ALL DRAMA from ALL DRAMA CLASSES are invited to be at GREET THE BUSES to join in handing out candy, waving posters and inviting people to the play. If you are riding on a bus just hop off and join in! The Focus this week in 6th and 7th will be on OPP's, plus starting new units! AND you will get to see PUFFS TECH!
***THURSDAY CALLS: 7PM SHOW NOTE TIMES FOR ALL HOUSE are slightly different than last week. ALL House will leave to go home when the audience leaves. No talk back with Mac (school night). Booth leaves immediately after notes (by 9:30). Cast leaves
***SATURDAY CALLS: 2PM SHOW
***SATURDAY CALLS: 7PM SHOW
We open our show this week on FRIDAY, and I am so very proud of the100+ students who have contributed to the design and production of PUFFS! Many of you have your work featured in the set dressing for the Puffs Common Room; a brilliant idea from one of you gave us the costumes for the DB's; and a spell sound built by a member of the tech class is a big part of the battle at the end of the show. It has been fun to be immersed in the world of PUFFS with all of you and I am looking forward to bringing an audience in for the first time since November 2019!! Wow. History keeps being made in these crazy times! THIS IS OUR BIG WEEK TO GET ONLINE TICKETS SOLD! Everyone in DRAMA helps with getting the word out. We will sell at the door if there are any tickets left, but we highly encourage everyone to get their tickets ONLINE. ALL online reservations will be seated in PODS following the Covid Guidelines. Online tickets will be picked up at Will Call starting one hour before each show. Go to the ticketing link at the top of the page and look through it. ALL students in ALL Drama classes will be taking a ticketing QUIZ on the information located on the ticketing link, sometime in the next two weeks, as part of the HOUSE curriculum. Production Crew in 8th will be serving as House Staff, which includes ticketing (selling and will call), greeting and ushering). You will be see your HOUSE ASSIGNMENTS on the HOUSE PAGE on ONE NOTE by TUESDAY. Juanita Drama is being highlighted in a film being put together by the district! The filming is taking place on Monday during 7th and after school during dress rehearsal. NOTE: House meets TUESDAY and FRIDAY this week. SHOW SHIRTS ARE HERE (They look AMAZING) AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTED DURING LUNCHES IN 526 ON MONDAY! Show Shirt DAYS this week are TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY! Wear your BUTTON on the right side of the shirt opposite the logo. A few of you need to pay and bring me a receipt. DO THAT MONDAY! Make SURE you pick up your SHOW SHIRT on Monday during lunches. Not in 8th but want a shirt? I bought extras so just let me know! WRISTBANDS: I have wristbands for 8th and a few extras for you to ask your friends to wear to promote the show! POSTERS: Know a place where a poster can go? Pick one up and POST IT! BIG POSTER: I made you a present. Check it out in the Commons:). eBlast (which means sending out electronically and posting on social media info and invitations to the show): ALL DRAMA set up for an eblast for PUFFS for WEDNESDAY at 12:55!! Use the poster at the top of the letter. Be clever! Show me what you have sent out! GREET THE BUSES IS FRIDAY AT 7:20am at the BUS DROP OFF! Bring left over Halloween Candy in (leave it on Mac's desk) this week to pass out at GREET THE BUSES! The BOOTH CREW is in charge of meeting you with CANDY and POSTERS and everyone will either be handing out a piece of candy or holding up a poster and inviting people to the play. Since our new school has buses from one direction and student parking from another we will have two places for candy/poster PUFFS to be. More info about that this week! ALL DRAMA from ALL DRAMA CLASSES are invited to be at GREET THE BUSES to help with publicity. If you are riding on a bus just hop off and join in! Please note the HOUSE meetings are changed from the original Calendar due to Filming by the District on Monday in the Theatre.
***FRIDAY CALLS: 7PM SHOW
***SATURDAY CALLS: 2PM SHOW
***SATURDAY CALLS: 7PM SHOW
Summary of extras for this week! Show Shirts/Wristbands: Monday at Lunch Show Shirt Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday this week Eblast: Wednesday at 12:55pm Greet the Buses: Friday at 7:20am by Bus Lane Show Calls Above Drama for the week of NOVEMBER 1, 2021 Post on your social media! You, too, Alumni!! Hello Drama! Happy Halloween! (or as I like to call it, Theatre People Day!). November is SHOW MONTH with Juanita Drama. PUFFS opens on Friday, November 12, at 7pm! Tickets for PUFFS are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets. Every student in Drama, in all classes, over 100 of you, have been working on PUFFS. It is YOUR show, so make sure the people that you want to see it have bought their tickets! Invite your teachers, friends, families, neighbors and especially that kid who sits next to you in class! Theatre is community, a shared experience that brings us all together and makes memories for a lifetime! In 6th and 7th we are studying Dramaturgy and exploring the world of Hogwarts to create Spell Sounds, Bookshelves and Bulletin Boards! Ideas and products from these tech tasks will be used in PUFFS! You have two more work days in class and the final products are DUE to submit IN CLASS on Block Day this week. 8th Period PRODUCTION WORKSHOP We have a FUN week ahead of us! It is VERY important for all PUFFS Company to respond to the Monday Letter. Include your thoughts, feelings and questions, and share what you know and understand about your responsibilities for the upcoming week, including anything you are supposed to bring in on Monday. Please respond by 9pm, Sunday. Production Crew: You are meeting on WEDNESDAY, and have TWO remote assignments due by WEDNESDAY:
The costumes are racked, checked and ready, the Props are organized and set to be placed, and with few exceptions we are ready to run Dress Techs with costumes, and scenic pieces. If you are working on something, or are bringing something in make sure it is done and in on MONDAY. Saturday was a BIG day for PUFFS for costumes, props and LIGHTING! We now have over 245 lighting cues in the show, all the way from the opening cue to the curtain call! Sound will be coming into the show throughout the week as the soundscape design joins the world of the play, adding a dynamic dimension to PUFFS. We will see the full lighting by Dress Tech on Saturday. The character words CUE each others lines and movement, and critically the sound, lights, rigging, curtain pulls. It is vital cast members are word perfect because even the tiniest word in the show is a cue for the show to move forward! It is a very cool thing to see a show come together at this point in the calendar, but it is also a huge (and awesome) responsibility for actors to not let a single word be changed or dropped. You got this! Go work those lines! Please note that there are calendar changes for the week due to absences.
Tickets for PUFFS are selling at a record rate! Remind friends and family to purchase tickets NOW. If you are not in 8th period Production Workshop you will need to purchase a ticket to see the show. Get a group of friends together and buy tickets online by clicking the link above. Remind your teachers to get their STAFF Tickets! I will be sending an email to them with the link on Monday. In 6th and 7th we are studying Dramaturgy and exploring the world of Hogwarts to create Spell Sounds, Bookshelves and Bulletin Boards! Ideas and products from these tech tasks will be used in PUFFS! I love the work I am seeing. 8th Period PRODUCTION WORKSHOP We open two weeks from Friday! Check your school email for an important email sent out to ALL PUFFS COMPANY. Follow the instructions for responding. It was FUN to have a Tech Saturday to work on props, lighting, sound and costumes! Please note that there are calendar changes for the week due to absences.
Tickets go on Sale ONLINE starting on Oct 15! Hello Drama! Tickets went on sale on Friday and In less than a day we sold 100 tickets! Wow. Make sure you get your friends and family to buy their tickets right away because it looks like we are going to sell this show out! The ticketing link at the top of the Monday Letter is now LIVE. I want everyone in all Drama classes to explore the site to see how we do Online ticketing for our shows. Remind your teachers to get their STAFF Tickets! I sent them an email so they have the link for STAFF ticketing. In 6th and 7th we are studying Dramaturgy! Theatre detectives! 6th will be moving on to three Tech Tasks associated with PUFFS and connected to researching the fictional world of Hogwarts. 7th will be sharing their Dramaturgy work on the characters in MCM and exploring characterization based on the Dramaturg assignment. I am looking forward to a week of Dramaturgy! 8th Period PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
Please note that there are calendar changes for the week due to absences.
And just like that it is October, or should I say HALLOWEEN SEASON!! What do you love about this time of the year? Congrats to the 6th Period Tech Theatre class for pulling off the first TECH TASK of the year. All of the GENERAL PURPOSE BATTENS are wiped clean and ready to rig for PUFFS. This week we are moving into a Production Management unit with a look backstage at WICKED! 7th Period Drama 1 & 2: It was fun hearing the lines from MCM, the laughter and the different character perspectives from each group. This week we are going to explore the work of a DRAMATURG and what their role is in a stage production, and at the same time go deeper into the names of people and places of the 30's and 40's spoofed in MCM! 8th Period PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE NOTES for after school Drama: The Conflict Sheets were vital to making sure that each individual could have the time to fulfill their responsibilities in the Fall 2021 Play Company given their weekly conflicts. I use these sheets to make company position decisions. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, you will need to share your WEEKLY CONFLICTS with Mac in your Monday Letter Response, so that we are all in good communication about attendance. You will also be asked to text or email Kaylee Starr or Aria Eddleman who will be in charge of handing Mac an attendance slip each day at call time for anyone who is expected at a meeting or rehearsal who is not present. You ONLY need to share conflicts on days you are called . Please be responsible and respectful about ATTENDANCE. ALL students in ALL Drama classes will be reading and responding to the Monday Letter each week. It is easy to do! Send an email to [email protected] by 9pm on Sunday. It is important that you respond on Sunday because it helps me to understand what we need for the week. Add a subject heading (not Monday Letter) that relates to what you are telling me (2-3 words, make them fun!). Keep the letters short and to the point, letting me know what you know and understand about what we are doing, deadlines, comments. Ask questions! Drama for the week of September 27, 2021 Juanita Drama's FALL PLAY Opening in NOVEMBER!! Hello Drama! It is our final week of September, 2021! Congratulations for making the giant leap back to in person education with grace and compassion for each other and for your teachers. I am enjoying getting to know each and every one of you in our classes, and am grateful to be back in the Theatre as we begin our work on PUFFS! Our state of the art Rigging System is fun to learn and explore, and the 6th period Tech class spent last week learning how a counterweight system works and seeing it in action with Juanita's amazing fly system. If you missed the test on Friday you will find a makeup version in your TEAMS. 7th Period is studying The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, preparing to read the play out loud in groups starting on Monday. Make sure you have completed the MCM TEAMS assignment so that I have your input on casting the reading groups. If you haven't finished the play you will find a link to an online script on that same TEAMS assignment. 6th and 7th: I have posted feedback and scores from the Come From Away assignment. If you did the Bonus you will see that added to your score. If you did the BONUS but didn't add a note, interview or sketch to your TEAMS submission, then re-submit and let me know. PRODUCTION WORKSHOP (AFTER SCHOOL 8TH PERIOD) SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK FOR PUFFS!!
IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE NOTES for after school Drama: The Conflict Sheets were vital to making sure that each individual could have the time to fulfill their responsibilities in the Fall 2021 Play Company given their weekly conflicts. I use these sheets to make company position decisions. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, you will need to share your WEEKLY CONFLICTS with Mac in your Monday Letter Response, so that we are all in good communication about attendance. You will also be asked to text or email Kaylee Starr or Aria Eddleman who will be in charge of handing Mac an attendance slip each day at call time for anyone who is expected at a meeting or rehearsal who is not present. You ONLY need to share conflicts on days you are called . Please be responsible and respectful about ATTENDANCE. ALL students in ALL Drama classes will be reading and responding to the Monday Letter each week. It is easy to do! Send an email to [email protected] by 9pm on Sunday. It is important that you respond on Sunday because it helps me to understand what we need for the week. Add a subject heading (not Monday Letter) that relates to what you are telling me (2-3 words, make them fun!). Keep the letters short and to the point, letting me know what you know and understand about what we are doing, deadlines, comments. Ask questions! Drama for the week of September 20, 2021 Hello Drama! The weekly Monday letter is for ALL Drama students in ALL classes! Welcome to our fourth week of school! That flew by, right? It is always good to take a moment to think where you were a month ago, and where you are now. So much has happened, so many new people to become friends with! Expect that the people around you are happy to see you. I know I am delighted to be part of your school day. I love seeing your eyes light up as you greet me each day coming down the Drama hallway! 6th and 7th: The Come From Away Teams assignment is due on Monday at 12noon. Make sure it is your BEST work. If you have already submitted check to see if you want to revise, edit, add anything. Be prepared on Monday to share your RESEARCH and TEAMS work in small groups. Tuesday we move on to a new unit! ALL Members of Juanita Drama: Watch Come From Away! Click on the photo on this week's Monday Letter to see the trailer for the movie - a filmed Broadway production! ALL students in ALL Drama classes will be reading and responding to the Monday Letter each week. It is easy to do! Send an email to [email protected] by 9pm on Sunday. It is important that you respond on Sunday because it helps me to understand what we need for the week. Add a subject heading (not Monday Letter) that relates to what you are telling me (2-3 words, make them fun!). Keep the letters short and to the point, letting me know what you know and understand about what we are doing, deadlines, comments. Ask questions! PRODUCTION WORKSHOP (AFTER SCHOOL 8TH PERIOD) SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK FOR 8TH PERIOD: This week is significant and will answer a LOT of your questions, and hopefully teach you that many of the questions that we have when producing a play are revealed during the evolution and collaboration that is fundamental to how Theatre works. Most of what will happen is not 'decided' on day one . . . we journey together making many, many decisions along the way. You will, however, find out the play we are producing and your position in the Juanita Drama Fall 2021 Play Company on Monday!
IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE NOTES: The Conflict Sheets are vital to making sure that each individual can fulfill their responsibilities in the Fall 2021 Play Company. However, AT THIS POINT FORWARD, you will need to share your weekly conflicts with Mac in your Monday Letter Response. You will also be asked to text or tell a designated student who will be in charge of handing Mac an attendance slip each day for anyone who is expected at a meeting or rehearsal who is not present. It is VERY important to know at the beginning of each week if you are leaving, for example, 30 minutes early from rehearsal because you have a dance lesson. IF you are ill, and your absence has come up unexpectedly, you or your parents can email Mac the morning of the absence. If possible you should also text the designated student in charge of daily attendance. You are ONLY required to attend meetings and rehearsals on the days you are called. You will know when you are called based on your placement in the Fall 2021 Company and the calendar everyone will receive. Please do not attend on days you are not called. Starting on TUESDAY of this week, we will be using CHECK IN SHEETS for all Daily Calls. You will learn more about these next week. You will be timing in and out of your rehearsal or meeting (just like at a professional theatre). Only YOU can mark next to your name on the Check In Sheets, which will be located on the wall in the Drama Hallway, outside of 526. We will talk more about this next week. , September 6, 2021 Hello Drama! The weekly Monday letter is for ALL Drama students in ALL classes! It was a lot of fun starting up the year and getting to know each of you. The classes are packed, and for Drama that just means more people to connect with, more friends, more creative energy! All students in ALL Drama classes need to have a dedicated notebook for the year. This can be any shape or size - it is yours to take notes, sketch designs, create lists, and document your time in Drama. This is part of your participation grade in each of the Drama classes you are in (you only need one if you are in multiple Drama classes). If you need help with getting a notebook just ask me! ALL students in ALL Drama classes will be reading and responding to the Monday Letter each week. It is easy to do! Send an email to [email protected]. Add a subject heading (not Monday Letter) that relates to what you are telling me (2-3 words, make them fun!). Keep the letters short and to the point, letting me know what you know and understand about what we are doing, deadlines, comments. Ask questions! 6th Per: Remember that Tuesday is your 5-7 pieces of recycle deadline! The remainder of the letter is for the 8th Period Production Workshop Group. Tuesday is the final open class for anyone at Juanita to attend to be a part of the Play Production Workshop Class!. Hello Production Workshop!
HERE IS THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Tuesday: Open Enrollment - anyone can attend 2:45-3:35 Leadership until 4pm *NOTE This is the school's ID PICTURE day taken during your English Class Period. We are going to start a NEW Tradition of taking a full group photo on this day during 8th Period (After School Class) that will be for the YEARBOOK. We will be doing this at the start of class. Please drop your backpacks off on stage right and sit in a group on the stage floor. You will be blocked (put in stage positions) for the photo! Wednesday: AFTER LUNCH (see CLASS SCHEDULE) 1:15 - 2:05 Thursday: 2:45 - 3:35pm. Friday: 2:45 - 3:35pm. Take care! Mac [email protected] CONGRATULATIONS To Juanita Drama's Two National FINALISTS Who Earned TOP OF THEIR CATEGORIES in the COUNTRY for THESPYS!! -Claire Charvet, Lighting -Caroline Yim, Scenic Design Only 26 Students Nation-Wide earned this designation! Click to Visit the THESPY Page for the National List of Winners Congratulations to the Class of 2021! You are taking so many memories with you: Theatre, Pop-up, New Theatre, Remote, Concurrent, beginning with The Addams Family! Wow. There will never be another four years like the ones we have traveled together. The Senior Farewell was very special. Thanks to all who helped with the Costume Parade, flowers, cards and memories. The senior presentation was amazing as you recreated the past four years of our time together. The final song had me in tears, and then you came up with that hilarious twist that had us all laughing - a true metaphor for how this year has been and how you have coped with it; with laughter and with love! Thank you having a significant impact on my life and the Juanita Drama program. We will all miss you! This week's featured photo is from She Kills Monsters, with 2021 Graduate Jade Buist in a battle with the Succubi! I chose this pic to honor Jade's amazing career with JHS Drama, and because of the stage combat choreo this pic captures. I imagine those of you in Drama 1&2 can relate to the action in this shot! Drama 1 &2: The stage combat unit has been so much fun. I am proud of everyone, at home and in-person, for diving into the work with such energy and creativity! From old people battling it out, to siblings dueling over the last slice of pizza, the final combat choreographed scenes were memorable and super fun to watch. We have one more group on Monday to look forward to! I could not have asked for a better group to do this crazy year with. You were always up for everything I came up with. I love how supportive of each other you are. I would love to keep teaching this group, and hope to see all of you who haven't graduated in Drama next year in Drama 2 or 3, the after school class, or the tech class, or both! Technical Theatre: I have enjoyed our discussions about the art and science of Theatre throughout the year. You amazed me with the energy in the class right from the start, and helped me to find my way through teaching a theoretical online tech class. You have been patient and super helpful with tech issues. The projects were great, and the support you gave each other made the class grow as a group. I really enjoyed our final unit on filmic techniques. There are quite a few film buffs in the class, and it was so fun to talk films with you! Those of you that created short films did an amazing job. I showed them all to Gary and he made the same comment that someone said in class: Caroline's opening was like a teaser for a new show on Netflix! I am going to take what we did for the filmic unit and expand it next year in class based on your contributions to the assignment. I am finishing up my grades for all classes. If I am missing something you submitted make sure you let me know! TO ALL DRAMA STUDENTS: If you would like to join the Drama Leadership Group there are a couple of spots open now that our seniors have graduated! Let me know by email! Drama Leadership: 2:45 - 4pm after class on Tuesday for our final meeting this year. SUMMER WORKSHOP REGISTRATION! Sign up for the Juanita Drama SUMMER WORKSHOP that will be happening the week before school begins for the 21-22 School Year. ALL JHS STUDENTS who plan on being in Drama (6th, 7th or 8th) are welcome to attend the workshop. This is a DRAMA INTENSIVE with all kinds of Theatre activities over a three day period! I will be sending out reminders and updates about it in August, but sign up NOW so you get those updates! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0544AAAD2CA1FB6-juanita1 ALL In-person books and materials are now past DUE. Make sure you give them directly to me. Remote students: you can drop off your books and scripts (Drama 1 & 2) directly to the Performing Arts Dept right outside Rm 513, on Tuesday, June 15. If you take them to the Commons make sure you put a sticky note on them with my name so they get to Drama! IN CLASS THIS WEEK:
The pic posted on this week's Monday Letter is a blast to the past! Isabel Grizzard is demonstrating the Addams Family gates, circa Fall 2017, the year our Seniors were 9th graders. The photo is also a foreshadowing of things to come with the Drama Senior Farewell on Friday, June 11, during 8th Period. CONGRATULATIONS on a successful show on Saturday, with our first live audience since November 2019! House crew, booth crew, production crew, performers and all those amazing family members in the audience helped to make the event memorable and fun! It is ALWAYS a good idea to check through your grades. Teachers have a lot going on this time of year and it is easy to miss something. If that is the case with any of your grades in drama classes let me know! Drama Leadership: Look for a separate email:). Make sure you respond! ALL In-person books and materials due BACK on Monday and Tuesday of this week! IN CLASS THIS WEEK:
Juanita Drama * Posted Saturday, May 29 for the SHORT week of Monday, May 31, 2021 We are always, it seems, waiting for . . . something. As wonderful as those somethings may be - a birthday, seeing someone you haven't seen for a long time, graduating from High School! - it is all the moments in between that define our lives. Pause long enough in the looking ahead to enjoy the daily moments that enrich your lives, strengthen your character, and gives you the clarity to love the life you are living. 8th Production Workshop CLASS: The SATURDAY, June 5, showing of 9 REASONS, with live showcase performances, HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 3pm, with the doors opening at 2:30pm. PLEASE have your family fill out the RESERVATION form found at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=P2fUH5bfIUaGOKHYjEyF1wnqkYpqeixPiygQU3O0IPpUMElCTDM5VFdJUU9ZRTJJSkRKQjc5VFNYSC4u The final OPP for this year is now past due. Please let me know if you are uploading a late file. Drama Leadership: we will meet this FRIDAY after class to be READY for the June 5 Show!! Leadership will last until 5pm. If you need to go home earlier just let me know! IN CLASS THIS WEEK:
Juanita Drama * Posted Saturday, May 22 for the week of Monday, May 24, 2021 Hello Drama! The year, which, last fall, seemed as if it was going to stretch forever, is tap dancing to a close! There is so much going on in Drama. Don't miss a moment of it! Take advantage of this rich time of year in class and meetings. Stay engaged, be happy and cheerful, and make good leaps as you connect everything you have learned in Drama this year to our final weeks together. Smile and greet each other and enjoy the bonds and friendships you have made over this remarkable year. Is there something you want me to cover or talk about? Let me know! Do you have any books or materials (even from last year!) that belong to Drama? If you are in-person bring them in this coming week. If you are Remote, gather them for the material drop off day the final week of school! We want to make sure that all of the materials and books are ready for classes next year! 8th Production Workshop CLASS: You and your parents will be receiving an email on Sunday with an invite for a Drama presentation, Saturday, June 5, 7pm start time (doors will open for seating at 6:30). We will be presenting a showing of 9 Reasons AND some live solo performances. Attendance is by RESERVATION ONLY so it is important that your families see the email with all the details about this. There will be a link attached to reserve seats with a deadline for doing so, and details about attendance. The final OPP for this year is now past due. I am making my way through all the submissions (wow - wonderful personal analyses of plays and musicals!), and returning each as I go. If you have not turned in your OPP, and plan to, make sure you communicate with me. If you have any questions or need help, please let me know. Drama Leadership: we will meet this TUESDAY after class! No meeting on Friday. IN CLASS THIS WEEK:
Juanita Drama * Posted Saturday, May 15 for the week of Monday, May 17, 2021 Hello Drama! Congratulations to this year's Thespian Initiates! I am looking forward to welcoming you into Juanita Drama Troupe 3422 of the International Thespian Society. Follow your letter and if you have any questions let me know! The final OPP for this year is now past due. It has been great reading your OPP's and hearing about the shows you have experienced. There are so many opportunities to stream great Theatre. Enjoy the shows! Drama Leadership: we will meet this TUESDAY after class and do some work on props and sets! No meeting on Friday. Mark your calendars for FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 7 & 8pm, for two showings of Juanita Drama's Virtual Production, 9 Reasons! Stay tuned for more information! IN CLASS THIS WEEK:
May 10, 2021 Opp's are DUE by Satureday, May 15, at 4pm. That is THIS FRIDAY! Please do not miss this deadline. If you need help, ask. Covid Safety: In person Drama students need to be very, very careful to maintain social distancing in the various classroom settings within the Theatre facility. Please keep your distance as we move from space to space. This week in Drama:
ALL CLASSES: In Person AND Remote are required to leave a final comment in the CHAT section of the class about the day's lesson. Tech Theatre and Production Workshop Students: Have you signed up for Dual Credit? It is a GREAT DEAL! Make sure you sign up to get college credit for your JHS classes! I have submitted the class lists to the Dual Credit people, so all you need to do is to sign up. If you need help ask! Show your parents this information! The two Drama classes that can receive Dual Credit are Technical Theatre and Theatre Production Workshop. www.PNWcollegecredit.org Drama put a back to school video together and it is posted on the home page of this website, HERE. It is super fun and I am proud of all of you involved! Share the link with your friends and family = post this anywhere you want. Let me know what you think of the video in your Monday Letter response. I have heard from some of you that you are having problems viewing the video. It views just fine on all of my devices, so I am not sure what the problem is. Remind me in class and we can watch it together. Responding to the Monday Letter is part of your participation grade for 4th quarter in all Drama classes. It is an easy way to keep your grade up. There is a lot to talk about beyond what I post on the Monday Letter each week. OPP CHOICE Links: https://www.playbill.com/article/schedule-of-upcoming-and-current-free-live-stream-broadcasts-com-322823 https://insidethemagic.net/2020/07/musicals-on-disney-plus-lp1/ Drama 1&2: There is a 90 minute Romeo and Juliet that looks interesting! *********** 5/3/2021 ALL Drama students are invited to attend the National Thespian Festival! Click on the masks in the picture posted to learn more about all the cool opportunities the Festival has to offer. A virtual festival makes it super easy to attend, meet people from other schools and states, and get to experience amazing workshops. If you were a National Qualifier for Thespians you can submit your original recording OR you can do a NEW one. I want to encourage all National Qualifiers to submit. Book a rehearsal with Mac to go over the adjudicator comments and improve your original submission! Now that we are back in the Theatre, and moving about the space, it is extremely important that SAFETY is at the front of everything we do. COVID SAFETY: Listen carefully when given instructions on where to sit, and how to move about the space. Maintain social distancing, keep your masks on securely (including covering your nose), step outside the door for a mask break, snack or water, and most importantly be conscious and aware of your responsibility to the other members of our class. Keep each other safe! THEATER SAFETY: We will be discussing Theatre Safety and how you move about the Theatre safely in all classes. In order to participate fully in the experience of being in the Theatre it is vital that you listen carefully and follow all safety protocol. This week in Drama: 6th: Rigging!! 7th: Character Movement 8th: Showcase & Working in the Theatre ALL CLASSES: In Person AND Remote are required to leave a final comment in the CHAT section of the class about the day's lesson. Tech Theatre and Production Workshop Students: Have you signed up for Dual Credit? It is a GREAT DEAL! Make sure you sign up to get college credit for your JHS classes! I have submitted the class lists to the Dual Credit people, so all you need to do is to sign up. If you need help ask! Show your parents this information! www.PNWcollegecredit.org **************** 4/25/2021 Hello Drama! Would you like an Into The Woods Show Shirt? We are selling them again!! $10 per shirt. S, M, L & XL. Reserve your shirt now. This is a limited edition piece of art on a shirt! I will have them to show you in class on Monday and Tuesday. Last week was a lot of fun as we settled into concurrent classes in the Theatre spaces. I am looking forward to Soundscapes in Tech Theatre, exploring stage movement in Drama 1&2, and lighting in Production Workshop this week. Tech Theatre and Production Workshop Students: Have you signed up for Duel Credit? It is a GREAT DEAL! Make sure you sign up to get college credit for your JHS classes! www.PNWcollegecredit.org Drama put a back to school video together and it is posted on the home page of this website, HERE. It is super fun and I am proud of all of you involved! Share the link with your friends and family = post this anywhere you want. Let me know what you think of the video in your Monday Letter response. Responding to the Monday Letter is part of your participation grade for 4th quarter in all Drama classes. It is an easy way to keep your grade up. There is a lot to talk about beyond what I post on the Monday Letter each week. I am interested in whatever you want to share with me. How is concurrent working in our classes? In your other classes? What fun things have you been up to besides school? Any interesting movies or theatre productions you want to share? Questions you want to ask me? OPP #3 IS DUE ON MAY 15! If you MISSED filling out the Asynch form (on Teams) about the OPP choices do that now. It is quick and easy to fill out. ***************** 4/12/21 Time for another change! We have one week of Asynchronous (no remote classes) and then we head into the unknown, but undoubtedly exciting world of concurrent school. Some of you have chosen to stay remote, others are heading to Juanita. I am working on ways to show ALL of you our Theatre spaces, and to make 4th quarter a successful and fun experience for Juanita Drama! Have some ideas of your own? Share them with me! This week's Asynch work for ALL Drama classes will be posted on TEAMS by Monday at 9am. In order to receive credit for the Asynch week's work you need to complete the Microsoft Form attached to the assignment. Read the instructions carefully. You will need to know what play or musical you have chosen for OPP#3, due May 15. Here is a link to get you started in case you haven't chosen a play yet: https://www.playbill.com/article/schedule-of-upcoming-and-current-free-live-stream-broadcasts-com-322823 Drama 1&2: There is a 90 minute Romeo and Juliet that looks interesting! I am available all week via email! Write to me! See you from/at Juanita starting April 19! ****************** 3/22/21One week before Spring Break! Let's have a great week together. Penda! You deserve a shout out for your participation in the Cameras On video that will be shown this week in Homeroom. I admire students who step up to help out in projects that impact the whole school. Well done! Thank you to all of you that turn your cameras on. What a difference it makes. I would much rather have a conversation than conduct a lecture! I honestly just feel better emotionally, physically and mentally after a class where students have their cameras on. Challenge yourselves this week and pop those cameras on at the beginning and end of classes, and if you can have them on during class that is wonderful. Sound Design is a fascinating area of Theatre Production. We take it for granted, the soundscapes that are part of our every day life. It is interesting to go inside of the world of Theatre and Film Sound Design and connect what you find out to the amazing movies and productions you love. Perhaps consider this as a career choice (hot demand for sound designers). ALL Drama please read through the linked article and watch the clips from Frozen; then let me know what you find interesting! 7 Sound Design Tips In OUR Theatre classes this week:
Looking forward to seeing all of you!*********************** 3/15/21 Ali Stroker, the first actor using a wheelchair for mobility on the Broadway stage, was nominated and won a Tony award for her portrayal of Ado Annie, in the revival of Rogers and Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! Watch this video featuring Ali, and when you respond to the Monday Letter this week let me know how YOU 'find the gift'! (If this link is blocked on your computer let me know - we will watch it in class). In honor of Women's History Month check out these other amazing women who are making history in the entertainment world! Your OPP (Outside Performance Paper) is DUE this Wednesday, March 17. The assignment is on Teams. If you have any questions make sure to ask! Here is a link for those of you who still need a play or musical to watch! The OPP is worth 11% of your grade - it is so important that you complete this assignment. Make sure you confidently bring to the write-up all that you have learned this year in Drama! In OUR Theatre classes this week:
I want to invite ALL of Juanita Drama from ALL classes, to go with me to the VIRTUAL THESPIAN FESTIVAL, Fri and Sat, March 19-20! I have 10 of you signed up so far. Who else wants to join in the fun? All you have to do is let me know and I will register you AND pay your entry fee! The cut-off date is this Monday, March 8. After that the registration is closed. ALL Juanita students who are attending have a chance to submit a LIP SYNC! You can show off your mad Lip Sync skills by submitting a 30-60 second Lip Sync from one of your favorite musicals. On Friday night of the Festival there is a Lip Sync Battle between schools attending!! SO MUCH FUN!! Send Mac your Lip Sync entry no later than Thur, March 11 (last day to submit LIP SYNCS to the Festival). There is a wide range of workshops offered at the Festival:
Send Mac an email NOW if you want to be registered for the Thespian Festival (March 18-20). This is an AWESOME opportunity to join Theatre students from all over the State - imagine all that creative energy! Are you busy part of the time? You do not have to attend all the sessions, just let me know if you have any conflicts. The event is flexible. THESPY RESULTS (WASHINGTON STATE DRAMA REGIONAL AWARDS) I am proud to announce that Juanita Drama had 6 NATIONAL RANKINGS in Monologue, Duet, Lighting, Scenic and Stage Management, and 9 STATE RANKINGS in Monologues, Solo Songs and Duet at this year's Thespys. For a complete list of everyone who ranked at the Washington State Thespys please click on file at the top of this page! Congratulations to Gracie and Audrey Lloyd, who have been chosen to have their Nationally Ranked Duet (What is the Feeling, from Wicked) shown at the Thespian State Festival. Their performance will be shown several times during the weekend of the Festival.********************* 2/27/2021 I am leaving up the featured article for two weeks to make sure everyone had a chance to see it. We will be talking about these designers in ALL classes so be ready for that! The Monday Letter this week features the creative talent of two Black costume designers: Paul Tazewell (pictured) and Jerome Lamaar. Here is an except from the source article (link below): Over a tenure of 25+ years, Paul Tazewell has brought his magic touch to every production he’s been part of, so it’s no surprise that this man has won both a Tony and an Emmy. He’s been behind some of Broadways and television’s buzziest shows, including Hamilton and The Color Purple. More recently, Paul created costumes for the play Ain’t Too Proud—the Life and Time of The Temptations, the film Harriet, which hits theaters this November, and is currently on set for Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of West Side Story. In the Q&A ahead, he dives into his career, accolades, and what costume designing means to him. INTERVIEWER: In layman's terms, what goes into creating costumes for a show? Are you designing the costumes yourself, are you pulling them from collections or vintage shops? What does that process really look like for you? MR. TAZEWELL: "Well, it depends on the needs of the show. With a musical or Broadway show, those costumes are rarely rented ever because of the wear and tear of the show. I’ve done a lot of time-period shows, and the costumes for those shows are custom created in independent shops around New York and around the country. For film, it can be a combination of creating or curating, but it depends. Like for West Side story, there are scenes where we might have 400 people that are all in the background, that are all extras, so there’s not the need to build all of those costumes, so there are costume house that we rent from—but even with that, they’re fit, and I approve each of the looks. Then, my challenge beyond that is to design costumes that fit into the main character's role, to ensure the costumes we are using from the rental houses marry with what we are actually building and the story we are trying to tell." Intrigued? Click on the llink to learn more about Costume Design! https://www.whowhatwear.com/broadway-costume-designers/slide2 In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: Sharing Gobos all around us! 7th Period: Hamlet Flipgrids are PAST DUE. On to more Shakespeare! 8th Period: MCM plus THESPY Results!**************************** 2/15/2021 Hello Drama! This week's Monday Letter features Miranda Haymoon, Theatre Director. Read her bio and interview, and check out the source article below for other amazing Female directors! Newly appointed resident director at Roundabout Theatre Company (New York); leader of RTC’s Directors Group; assistant director on Broadway’s Travesties; Roundabout Directing Fellow (2018); Select credits: Really, Really Gorgeous (The Tank), Everybody (Sarah Lawrence College), In the Penal Colony (Next Door @ NYTW, The Tank), and Mondo Tragic (National Black Theater). First production you ever directed: I directed Post-Its (Notes on a Marriage) by Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman in high school. Directing that ten-minute play totally engulfed me, and I'm still really proud of it. Professionally, I toured my adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five and it premiered at Capital Fringe. What made you want to be a director: I've tried performing, designing, stage managing, writing, backstage—everything. Directing gives me the chance to pursue knowledge in the craft of everything. A show you want to direct: The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht. Describe the attributes of your ideal project: I like projects that encourage audiences to move away from assumed norms, and I have an open vision of what that looks like. It could be non-normative in terms of structure or narrative, but also who gets to be considered "universal" on stage, or characters facing obstacles that we don't usually get to see them battling. A production you worked on and are particularly proud of and why: I'm really proud of the opera of Intimate Apparel, which I am the associate director on under Bartlett Sher. Our team became a real family through the process, and have become even closer as an ensemble since being halted by the pandemic. (We have bi-weekly Zoom calls!) It's an honor and a joy to be part of presenting the canonical story of Intimate Apparel in a new form. I am so excited to share with audiences when it's safe to do so. A guiding principle of your directing style: A tenet of my directing approach is to carefully learn how my collaborators learn, so that I can responsibly guide a process filled with experimentation, courage, intention, and care. That is my mission—to be a facilitator for perpetual learning and thus, unlearning. https://www.playbill.com/article/20-powerhouse-women-directors-theatre-fans-and-industry-pros-alike-need-to-know In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: A deeper dive into Lighting equipment; quiz on Tuesday! 7th Period: Exploring Shakespeare's career; intro to Hamlet Monologue 8th Period: MCM! Make sure you take the casting quiz on Teams - open the assignment and follow the link! ********************************** 2/8/2021 We have a short week ahead and then a lovely five day break. Work smart for a couple of days, and then have a great break! This week we continue the celebration of Black History Month with a look at the phenomenal talents of Audra McDonald. "Born in 1970, Audra McDonald is arguably the most well-known black theater talent of the 20th and 21st centuries. She has received multiple Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League awards, among others, for her roles in such shows as "Carousel," "Master Class," "Ragtime," "A Raisin in the Sun," "110 in the Shade," "Porgy and Bess," and "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill." Ms. McDonald is featured in this week's Monday Letter playing another legendary singer: Billie Holiday! Look them both up! For a deeper dive take a look at this article from the Virginia Tech Magazine Archives on the Most Influential Black Artists in Musical Theatre. Break is the perfect time to watch a show for your OPP's that are due BY March 17! Here is an article of FREE streaming choices! There are productions that cost money that are streaming, and one of them is SCHOOL GIRLS: OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY. Check it out, it may be something that you and your family would be interested in. In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: Lighting Equipment 7th Period: Shakespeare! 8th Period: Secret Pal Valentine Party! Intro to Musical Comedy Murders of 1940! THESPYS: ALL THESPY RECORDINGS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR THESPY EVENT REGISTRATION AND SAVED (not in cart) BY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7th. Please make sure that Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk is a PRIMARY Collaborator for EACH of your events. If you are having any problems with the registration or recording immediately email Mac. I am still accepting and responding to FLIPGRIDS for songs and monologue submissions, so send them in! Reminders: 1. Film in all black against as plain of a background as you can find. 2. Film using the best recording device you have - for many of you that is your camera on your phones on the back side. 3. Set the recording device so that the camera is even with your eyes. You can use a stack of books to do this. If you have a family member that can help, have them stand in your 'place' and get the camera angle just the way you want it. They could start and stop the video, but you can also do this and just edit out that part. Or ask help with that. 4. Practice your slate (examples are on the Teams Assignment) so you are completely comfortable. SMILE!! Remember the Thank You at the end of the performance, and smile again. Show your pride and gratitude for being able to share your work. 5. Be confidant. YOU are the reason that Thespys exist as much as any other student in our State and Country. 10's of thousands of students are doing just what you are doing this month - choosing to submit to Thespys! Just go for it! 6. Need help? Just ask! I am glad to help you! 7. Need a 'rehearsal partner' who will help you make sure you are on your lines? Ask a Drama friend, or ask me to recommend someone who I think would be delighted to help you. If someone does ask you for prompting help, remember that you are NOT directing them. Please don't tell other actors how to act. You hold script and feed lines when they call 'line'. Your ONLY job is to support by telling them they are doing great, and by doing the factual work of helping them to be line perfect. I have seen people deeply affected and hurt when another student tells them what to do or what they are doing 'wrong'. Don't be that person. Looking for the notes on the feedback loop? Go to the Archive tab, and Past Monday Letters! ******************************************* 1/31/3021 Black Lives Matter. The artwork featured this week was created last summer in Seattle as artists and activists took to the streets to do what they do so well: use art to engage the community. This week is Black Lives Matter in all the schools at LWSD, and the beginning of Black History Month. The superintendent of the Lake Washington School District said this in a recent letter to the community: 'I am the proud Superintendent of 31,000 students and today, I am delighted to celebrate our Black students and tell them they matter, that they are seen and heard, and we are committed to their success'. Throughout the month of February the Monday Letter will feature Black Theatre artists in recognition of the powerful contribution Black playwrights, directors, actors, designers, technicians, choreographers and producers have made to strengthen the human experience and world Theatre. We celebrate Black Theatre Artists' contributions, but we also need to recognize that their contributions are not matched by the opportunities to be a part of the theatre experience they have helped to create. We need to do more than just recognize, we need to be a part of the conversation, to move forward, to not be afraid to speak up, to question, to share and understand. That takes the willingness to join in the conversation, even if it is difficult. Here is a quote from Stephanie Ybarra, the head of Baltimore Center Stage, and an anti-racist leader in the Regional Theatre Community : "Learning and unlearning in public can be embarrassing and painful. This work requires thick skin,” says Ybarra, “and deep humility. When somebody comes and tells you ‘This is a problem,’ or ‘What you said is problematic,’ it is one of the hardest things to understand — but you can receive that as a gift, like, ‘Oh, somebody just turned on a light." Here is the link to the article from where the quote came from: Building Trust After Inclusivity Failed: Lessons for the Theater Here is another article with specific data you might be interested in: broadways-race-problem-is-unmasked-by-data-but-the-theater-industry-is-still-stuck-in-neutral/ In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: We will continue watching and discussing Lighting Design, Working in the Theatre 7th Period: Shakespeare's language, iambic pentameter as a tool for the actor 8th Period: Thespys/Secret Pal Q/A's, Secret Pal Name Drop, then time to work on your Thespys THESPYS: ALL Drama students are encouraged to submit to Thespys. This is our FINAL week to work on the submissions. ALL THESPY RECORDINGS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR THESPY EVENT REGISTRATION AND SAVED (not in cart) BY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7th. Please make sure that Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk is a PRIMARY Collaborator for EACH of your events. If you are having any problems with the registration immediately email Mac. I am still accepting and responding to FLIPGRIDS for songs and monologue submissions, so send them in! Reminders: 1. Film in all black against as plain of a background as you can find. 2. Film using the best recording device you have - for many of you that is your camera on your phones on the back side. 3. Set the recording device so that the camera is even with your eyes. You can use a stack of books to do this. If you have a family member that can help, have them stand in your 'place' and get the camera angle just the way you want it. They could start and stop the video, but you can also do this and just edit out that part. Or ask help with that. 4. Practice your slate (examples are on the Teams Assignment) so you are completely comfortable. SMILE!! Remember the Thank You at the end of the performance, and smile again. Show your pride and gratitude for being able to share your work. 5. Be confidant. YOU are the reason that Thespys exist as much as any other student in our State and Country. 10's of thousands of students are doing just what you are doing this month - choosing to submit to Thespys! Just go for it! 6. Need help? Just ask! I am glad to help you! 7. Need a 'rehearsal partner' who will help you make sure you are on your lines? Ask a Drama friend, or ask me to recommend someone who I think would be delighted to help you. If someone does ask you for prompting help, remember that you are NOT directing them. Please don't tell other actors how to act. You hold script and feed lines when they call 'line'. Your ONLY job is to support by telling them they are doing great, and by doing the factual work of helping them to be line perfect. I have seen people deeply affected and hurt when another student tells them what to do or what they are doing 'wrong'. Don't be that person. Looking for the notes on the feedback loop? Go to the Archive tab, and Past Monday Letters! 1/25/2021 It was SO MUCH FUN seeing some of you Friday for material pick up. As one of my students said: 'you have legs!' I am so grateful that we KNOW each other now, and that remote is no longer a mystery to solve. I am looking forward to continuing our journey! ******************************************************************* 1/24/2021 I want to remind you that your teachers are better (and happier) when you engage with us. Reach out, talk in class, turn on your cameras, email, text - just stay in touch and keep it real. Each day choose one or two of your classes to turn your camera on as you come in to class. That will IMMEDIATELY brighten the day for everyone. It is pretty cool what smiling faces can do in this world! Take the short break between each of your classes to do a minute or two of something other than sitting! Run outside, grab some juice, do some jumping jacks. Get your metabolism up and moving so that your brain is sharper, you are more focused, and you are happier to come to class! Go OUT the door of the room you are doing remote in, spend at least a minute doing something, then come back in the door to your new class. Brain research tells us that passing through physical doors does a reset, creates a portal to a new level. You just feel better, and ready to go. Try it! The image this week reflects the power of imagination. It is our greatest tool, fueling every dynamic, artistic idea through the ages, from the lives of Shakespearean characters to the stylings of your favorite musician. If we can imagine it, we can do it, but the doing takes work, and determination, and self-love. Each day imagine the possibilities of YOU and your right to engage fully in the world, and then do the work to get you there, day by day, bursting with tiny explosions of thought and art and love! Time for 2nd semester and new units! -In 6th period we will be discovering the art and science of Theatre Lighting! -In 7th period we will be exploring Shakespeare! -In 8th period we will jumping into our Play Reading unit, and making sure we are all on track to upload to THESPYS In ALL classes your next OPP is due by March 17th! THESPYS: We are down to the final opportunities to be ready to upload to Thespys. What can I do to help you? Small Group Work: I can FILM your Thespys! I am available next week to work with you on your song or monologue or theoreticals. Please let me know if you want to be booked for a session on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I am going to keep the groups small, will offer multiple sessions if needed. Book NOW to get a spot! What is FEEDBACK? What is your role in FEEDBACK? 1. Feedback is not criticism, or even constructive criticism. I know others have used those terms with you. Critique (criticism) is one-way communication of someone's opinion. Feedback is an assessment process that involves the performer in a two way conversation. This is called formative assessment, and is a powerful way for you to work with a teacher or coach to improve your skills. 2. When I give feedback I am looking at a specific skill set and where you are at this time in your vocal development in relationship to skills like breath control, character objective, pacing, etc. This is different from telling you what you are doing 'wrong' or what you need to do 'better'. Every performer, on every level, from beginning, to long time professional, is constantly working on breath control, a dynamic process because it involves so many parts of our bodies. I am giving you feedback on what I am seeing and hearing as you perform, whether you are at the beginning of understanding how to use your vocal tools, or somewhere in the middle of your journey with vocal production (you have been in a choir, have a voice coach, taken classes). Everyone will get feedback to be able to specifically and in practical ways be stronger performers. 10 years from now, working with a vocal coach or teacher, you will be working on the same skill sets! It is the nature of the work. 3. Performing with a speaking or singing voice is essentially the same, so the feedback for vocals, whether a monologue, solo song or duet, will always target the skills needed to control your vocals. 4. Creating a character is far more complex than just singing a song. Theatre is centered on character and narrative, specifically how your character fits into their world. So you can't just focus on what you sound like, you have to fully embody a character and the world of the play. The good news is that the more character you develop, the more you understand what you want and need, the better you will sound and the stronger your performance will be. Your body, the physical nature of the character, therefore, needs to be 100% engaged. Who are they? How do they stand, move, gesture within their world? What are their facial quirks and expressions? How does that affect their pacing, pitch, intonation? 5. Feedback is a partnership. I am using your Thespy submissions to be both your vocal teacher (improve vocal skills) and your vocal coach (work a specific song or monologue). I learn as much from your response to the feedback as I do from your performance. What do you understand, for example, when I give you tips on musicality (musical artistry)? How can I help you to put into practice the ideas I am sharing with you? What I am hoping is for you to tell me what you know and understand from the feedback, and to ask questions. Sometimes, especially when this process is new to them, students respond by saying they were nervous or weren't warmed up. Try to look past your worries about not doing it 'right' and instead work with me to build your emerging and deeply personal performance skills. 1/18/21 Congratulations, JHS Drama Students, for making it to the final week of the semester! I want you to take a moment and reflect on your successes and achievements over the past 5 months, on the new friends you have made, the new ideas you have explored, the challenges you have overcome. You are amazing, and your determination to keep growing and learning in the midst of all you have to had to endure is remarkable. We are better at what it takes to do school remotely, and as we move into 2nd semester it will be easier because of that. Meanwhile, I know that there is a lot going on to finish out first semester for all of us. 100% of your teachers want you to do well. If you need help from any teacher at Juanita be willing to reach out to them. They want to hear from you. That includes me, of course, at any time and for any reason. The final two showings of 9 REASONS are TODAY, Saturday, at 1 & 7pm. I hope you all had a chance to see the show! In classes this week!
Small Group Work: I am available next week to work with you on your song or monologue or theoreticals. Please let me know if you want to be booked for a session on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I am going to keep the groups small, so I will offer multiple sessions if needed. Book NOW to get a spot! What is FEEDBACK? What is your role in FEEDBACK? 1. Feedback is not criticism, or even constructive criticism. I know others have used those terms with you. Critique (criticism) is one-way communication of someone's opinion. Feedback is an assessment process that involves the performer in a two way conversation. This is called formative assessment, and is a powerful way for you to work with a teacher or coach to improve your skills. 2. When I give feedback I am looking at a specific skill set and where you are at this time in your vocal development in relationship to skills like breath control, character objective, pacing, etc. This is different from telling you what you are doing 'wrong' or what you need to do 'better'. Every performer, on every level, from beginning, to long time professional, is constantly working on breath control, a dynamic process because it involves so many parts of our bodies. I am giving you feedback on what I am seeing and hearing as you perform, whether you are at the beginning of understanding how to use your vocal tools, or somewhere in the middle of your journey with vocal production (you have been in a choir, have a voice coach, taken classes). Everyone will get feedback to be able to specifically and in practical ways be stronger performers. 10 years from now, working with a vocal coach or teacher, you will be working on the same skill sets! It is the nature of the work. 3. Performing with a speaking or singing voice is essentially the same, so the feedback for vocals, whether a monologue, solo song or duet, will always target the skills needed to control your vocals. 4. Creating a character is far more complex than just singing a song. Theatre is centered on character and narrative, specifically how your character fits into their world. So you can't just focus on what you sound like, you have to fully embody a character and the world of the play. The good news is that the more character you develop, the more you understand what you want and need, the better you will sound and the stronger your performance will be. Your body, the physical nature of the character, therefore, needs to be 100% engaged. Who are they? How do they stand, move, gesture within their world? What are their facial quirks and expressions? How does that affect their pacing, pitch, intonation? 5. Feedback is a partnership. I am using your Thespy submissions to be both your vocal teacher (improve vocal skills) and your vocal coach (work a specific song or monologue). I learn as much from your response to the feedback as I do from your performance. What do you understand, for example, when I give you tips on musicality (musical artistry)? How can I help you to put into practice the ideas I am sharing with you? What I am hoping is for you to tell me what you know and understand from the feedback, and to ask questions. Sometimes, especially when this process is new to them, students respond by saying they were nervous or weren't warmed up. Try to look past your worries about not doing it 'right' and instead work with me to build your emerging and deeply personal performance skills. See you for another great week in Drama classes!12/5/2020 T'S SHOW WEEK!! This Friday, at 7pm and Saturday, at 7pm, Juanita Drama is presenting 9 REASONS! The LINK for both shows can be found on the Home Page and at the TOP of this Letter! The show is FREE, 35 minutes long, and fun! Can you help us out by spreading the word, downloading the poster image and sharing on your social media? Put it on your story, and eblast to everyone you know! Ask your families to help to reach even more people. It is crazy, but the link can be used by up to 10,000 devices!! Let's see how many people we can get to attend the show! This week we are smack in the middle of performance and technical units in all classes. Make sure you are all caught up with your assignments on Teams. 8th period, Production Workshop: Drama Leadership will be presenting Secret Santa at class on Tuesday, and letting you know how to get involved. Make sure you are at class by 2:30 so you don't miss out! There is NO Production Workshop, 8th period class, on Friday, since we will be getting ready for the Live Stream. Plan to attend 9 REASONS Friday and Saturday at 7pm! ********************* 11/21 Can you believe this is the final week of November? This past month flew past! We are into the holiday season now, with only three weeks to a two-week break! There are lots of fun things ahead! The featured pic reminds us of one of the basic ideas in life; we grow a little every day. It is especially important to remember this because it keeps us working, a little at a time, for big pay offs. I am proud of my students for the tenacity and creative risk taking in all classes, in all of our work together. Keep choosing to do things a bit out of your comfort level; that's when amazing growth happens! In Technical Theatre we will be exploring the scenic design needs for The Hound of the Baskervilles with a choice project coming up! Make sure you have turned in the current Teams assignment. In Drama 1&2 we will take a deep dive into how you prepare your monologues. Have your monologues printed so you can 'mark them up' in class! it is good to double space them on a page for easy notes. Have a yellow highlighter handy if you have one. Production Workshop: if you are not in 9 Reasons then you don't have class on Tuesday this week. Tuesdays' class will only be for the students involved in the 9 Reasons' production. Use the Tuesday time to make sure you have your Thespy pieces chosen, and all information correctly typed into the Thespy collaborative page. We will continue working on Thespy entries on Friday. I will also be sharing new deadlines because the Washington Thespian Board has changed the submission deadlines a bit. Please continue to email me with needs, requests, follow ups. If you have asked for help but haven't heard back by Sunday evening, 9pm, then email me. I will be offering drop in sessions on Monday, 2:30 - 2:50, and on Wednesday 1:30 - 2:30 for help with Thespy monologues, solo songs. These are optional drop in sessions. I am going to schedule some classes and optional work times just for the technical theoreticals next week. Our Fall play, 9 Reasons, is moving right along and will be all set with the production to open on Friday, December 11, at 7pm. This will be a Teams Live Event, and a link will be made available for all of you, your families and friends. Everyone in Drama: mark your calendars for Friday, December 11, at 7pm, and Saturday, December 12th at 7pm (with a possible matinee, and other showings to be announced!). If you have any questions about this let me know. ******************************* 11/21 Short week! As odd as our lives are these days we can always find things to be thankful for. What tops your list? I am grateful that I have kind, creative, and intellectually curious students to explore Theatre with. I am thankful for all the cheery hellos, the interest in the work and the smiles from the boxes stacked on the screen. And even though my family can't be together over Thanksgiving I am happy for the technology that is going to zoom us all together! I hope that this holiday is special for you and your family. Wish them all a Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Juanita Drama! Our Fall play, 9 Reasons, has a big day coming up this Saturday as we do our first full recorded run! Everyone in Drama: mark you calendars for Friday, December 11, at 7pm, and Saturday, December 12th at 7pm (with a possible matinee, and other showings to be announced!). We will be sharing a link to get you to the showing, and asking for your help to publicize the show. Stay tuned! All classes have Teams assignments due this week so make sure you are on top of your assignment calendar. If you wrote me asking for help with monologues and song choices in 7th or 8th expect a reply by Sunday night. If you haven't written me, and need help then send an email letting me know what you need. **************************** 11/14 SHE KILLS MONSTERS opened the brand new Juanita Theatre one year ago this weekend! The show was a high octane flight of fancy set in the magical world of D&D, a brilliant tale of courage, love and family. One of the coolest things about our new Theatre space is the rigging, and we had a lot of fun designing and flying in the Gelatinous Cube, Orcus' Map, and the show stopping Beholder, with voice over by Isabel Grizzard. The featured pic this week is Diana Plenefisch and Cate Gray, as sisters Agnes and Tilly. To everyone involved in the show: Congratulations! We brought an amazing show to life, had a blast doing it, AND we did it while breaking in the (really complicated!) space and learning to use all the fun technology. If you want to see more pics of the show go the Archive tab! Every student in the Juanita Drama Classes has the incredible opportunity to present performances and design projects for Regionals (Thespys) this year. The virtual submission makes it easy, and I am here to help you every step of the way! More information about HOW to submit will come in the next week or so.
One change I already know is this: you do NOT have to pay an entry fee. We have received a grant from the Juanita Foundation, a non-profit group that supports schools in the Juanita Learning Community, that will be paying ALL Juanita Drama fees for Regionals (Thespys). I worked with Principal Clapp to make this happen, and am proud that the Juanita Drama program is being given this support! TECH THEATRE: I am really looking forward to your scenic sketches for The Hound of the Baskervilles. You are only required to respond to one set of questions and sketch one of the scenes for this week's assignment (see Teams), but you are more than welcome to submit two! If you have questions email me. Drama 1&2: You need to have 2 short monologues to drop into the Collaborative page by the beginning of class. You should have already put in your song selection. If you need help finding monologues/songs email me and I will send you suggestions. If you have found some that are too long, I can help with cuts that bring them to the time limit of 3 minutes for both monologues. This week we will work with the monologues you have chosen during class time. Production Workshop: make sure you have complete information on the Collaborative page. Double check that. I am running extra drop in classes on Monday, 2:30 - 3:00, and Wednesday, 1:30 - 2:30 for 8th period, for help on monologues, songs, and to answer any questions you might have about Regionals (Thespys). 9 Reasons, our virtual Fall Play, is so much fun! We can't wait to share it with everyone. The show dates are December 11 & 12, so mark your calendars. More information (and a POSTER!) to come. 9 Reasons Cast and PA's: we will be recording every day from now on, so you will need to be in costume. Please check your email for additional information. ************* Nov 9, 2020 Hello Drama! We have reached 2nd quarter! Congratulations! Time to level up. All students in Drama classes will be submitting performance and/or technical designs as class assignments, using the National Theatre Rubrics to guide us. These performance and/or tech design class assignments can ALSO be submitted to the Washington State Thespian Regional Individual Events, now called Thespys! All classes will receive training and information to complete this class assignment and to learn how to submit monologues, solo songs and technical designs for this year's virtual Thespys. This is an AMAZING opportunity to work at your highest level and receive feedback from Industry professionals. I will help you choose what you want to perform or what technical design you want to present, and I will help you as you prepare. You are required to choose at least one event for the class assignment, but you can do up to three events to submit to the Thespys! Here are the dates for Thespys:
Why submit to Thespys?
If you are in 8th Period Production Workshop, and you were not in class on Friday, go to the November Calendar on One Note to see the Calendar update. We will meet 8th period on Tuesdays and Fridays for check in and updates on Thespys, and I will be holding open meetings on Monday, 2:30-3:00, and Wednesday, 1:30 - 2:30 for anyone who wants more help. **************MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Juanita Drama's Virtual Fall Play, 9 REASONS, will be streamed on December 11th and 12th. Stay tuned for more information! Nov 2, 2020 Happy Dia De Los Muertos! I enjoyed putting last week's lesson together for Mexico's Day of the Dead, and enjoyed even more the discussions in 6th and 7th about the responsibility Theatre artists have to accurately and respectfully incorporate cultural traditions and ideas. Here are the thoughts of one of our tech students: "Theater should spark questions about our society, and from there help shape it. As such, for us as people to move in a positive direction, we need to make sure everyone . . . has their culture accurately represented." I am so proud of my students. You are kind, supportive and growing as Theatre artists. Each class has become a working ensemble with distinct voices, clearly choosing to lean into the lessons and explore the ideas we are discussing. I am amazed at all we have done in two months! This last round of performances and technical work shows your deepening understanding. It was very cool to see you bring what you have learned in class into your OPP's (so many to read!). I particularly liked the confidence you demonstrated bringing personal opinion and thematic connections into your reviews. Let's have a great week! We will be adding your 2nd quarter OPP Choices to the Collaborative Space, introducing Regional IE (Thespy) opportunities to ALL classes, and rehearsing Production Workshop's virtual Fall Production, 9 Reasons. If you are in 8th Period you will find our calendar for November in One Note/Fall Play section. I will post an announcement about the calendar in the general channel for our class in Teams. Whenever I post an announcement please show me that you have read the announcement by 'liking' it. Responding to Monday Letters, announcements and emails are a very important part of our collaborative communication. Communication = all of us in the know! *****October 26, 2020 The Photo on the Monday Letter is the current assignment in Tech Theatre class. We are examining Scenic Design as an Art Form, and each student has created a collage filled with color and texture connected to how a chosen quote makes them feel. Here is mine for Fall. I love living in the Northwest where dramatic scene changes are happening all around us! Take the time to go outside and breathe in Fall. Invite your family to go for a walk with you! Take your camera and capture the beauty, or bring your sketchbook and do some quick draws. Bring home a sprig of vibrant fall foliage and put it in a jar on your desk. Stay connected to the amazing world around you! This week is OPP week! Make sure you have uploaded your quarter project to Teams by 4pm on Wednesday. All the information you need is on Teams, but if you have ANY questions just send me an email. Follow the example I showed in class. Have fun writing these up! 6th: We will continue with our presentations of the ppt. slides. Make sure you go to Teams and follow the instructions for re-submitting your work in PNG form by 9am on Monday. I have a Halloween lesson for Friday! 7th: Your Flipgrids, 8 Emotions, are due by Monday, 9am. Get them done this weekend if you haven't already so that you are ready to enjoy a week of going deeper into our study of acting/reacting. We will also have a Halloween lesson for Friday! 8th: NO class on Tuesday. If you need help with your OPP let me know! We will be meeting on Friday for our Halloween Party. I am going to start class at 2:40 to give people time to get costumes on, have a bit of a break. See you then! Fall Play Company: We begin Rehearsals on Monday with our Fall Play. Everyone who is part of the company will be receiving an email from me this weekend. Look on your Teams to see if you have been added to the new channel. If you can read my message there then please follow the prompt. Looking forward to seeing everyone this coming week! October 19, 2020 Are you as glad as I am to make it back to a regular week's schedule? I am looking forward to all of our Synch classes this week, and to do the Fall Play Reveal to Production Workshop on Friday! The photo on this week's Monday Letter is Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. I saw this production at the 5th Ave and I have had the great fun of directing this classic Musical Comedy. If you want to see two amazing Reno Sweeneys first check out the fabulous Patty Lupone in 1988 as she performs Anything Goes! Tap alert!! and THEN Sutton Foster at the 2011 Tony's performing Anything Goes. Again, TAP ALERT!! It is REALLY interesting to compare the changes in performance styles between the two pieces. This week in 6th Technical Theatre we will continue exploring the Scenic Design as an Art Form. Have you been working on your Quote collages? Make SURE you have viewed the Collage and OPP Assignment on Teams. This is part of your participation grade. This week in 7th Drama 1&2 we will be continue to work on the 8 Emotions assignment and exploring tips for virtual recordings. Make sure you have viewed the 8 Emotion and OPP Assignments in Teams. This is part of your participation grade. This week in Production Workshop is Audition Week for the Fall Play. Make sure you view Part One in Teams, AND the Flipgrid Assignment for Part Two. Do NOT submit either one until after our class on Tuesday. Full information and instructions are on the assignment pages. ALL members of 8th are required to turn in Part One. If you want to continue with the full Audition you will also do the Flipgrid Interview. We will be having a regular class on Tuesday and Friday this week. Tuesday I will be presenting Audition tips and answering questions. Friday I will be revealing the Show and the Company Roles and Positions. Looking forward to seeing everyone! ********************* For Monday, Oct 12, 2020 We have a four day school week with a whacko schedule so make sure you pay attention to when your classes are meeting on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday! The pic featured on this week's Monday Letter is from an exuberant and joyful moment in the musical Newsies! How are you doing with keeping up with your homework? The majority of students in my classes are getting 100% of the assignments in. Good job! I know it is harder keeping track of everything in remote learning land. How are you organizing your assignments and your time? My best advice is keeping a day planner. It is a big help when you have so many things to remember. My other bit of advice is to do one thing at a time, and then check it off! If you have a to-do list that becomes a to-done list it feels great! Need help with assignments you missed in our classes? Just ask me! I want you all to be successful and feel great about your Theatre classes. This week in Technical Theatre Class and Drama 1&2 we are starting new units! Make sure you have your notebooks, turn those cameras on, and be ready to explore new ideas! You should check to make sure ALL assignments are in. Look at your grades, and if something is missing or wrong let me know. There are a LOT of things for me to get right so your help is appreciated! Production Workshop - see your calendar below. This week we finish up the Under Fives! I expect ALL of you to be at your recording sessions on Tuesday, on time, rehearsed and ready to be amazing. Your group leaders will be sending out some reminders for you after our Monday meeting. Make sure you respond back to them to let them know you received the message! Want to earn an easy 5 points? Respond to the Monday Letter! Here is the calendar for 8th period:
For Monday, Oct 5, 2020 The pic on this week's Monday Letter features the amazing Duncan Arnold, as the out-of-luck Mage, being drawn into the Gelatinous Cube in last year's production of She Kills Monsters! Are you new to Drama this year and saw SKM? Share with me what you thought about the show! I want to give a huge shout out to all of my fabulous Drama students who are making this year work for me, and for everyone else in Drama. Your energy, willingness to TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON (yay!!), and clear interest in all things Theatre are a bright spot in my day. OPP's should be in full swing by now. The first quarter OPP is DUE on Wednesday, Oct 28. Go to TEAMS to see the full assignment. Have you watched your show? ALL classes, ALL students are required to read and respond to the Monday Letter. This is part of your weekly participation grade. Beginning this week if you do not respond to the Monday Letter you will see a loss of points for the week. Remember to respond to the week before, let me know what you understand is coming up for the new week, and share thoughts, ideas, family game nights, cooking experiments, etc. I love getting to know you better. Three paragraphs per Monday Letter response is the minimum, but you can write as much as you would like! Hey! Check your grades. Participation is the KEY to success in Theatre classes, especially with our Remote challenge. Participate by turning your cameras on, speaking up in class, and completing all digital assignments, including filling in the collaboration page docs for things like OPP choices and rehearsal responses. Completion of assignments is part of your Participation grade. SKYWARD is the official place where your final grades land, so look there for updates. Am I missing something? Let me know! Tech Theatre is exploring Stage directions and vocabulary as we begin our study of Hamilton. If you can watch Hamilton on Disney+ do that! As you learn more about what it takes to put a play together you will appreciate Hamilton even more. It is a master class in Theatre design and Production! Make sure you have taken all the quizzes! If you have a zero on SKYWARD that means I did not receive a quiz from you. Email me about this! Drama 1&2 have an assignment due on Flipgrid on Wednesday by 4pm. Review the assignment PowerPoint pages for 'The Other'. You will find them in the Content Library in One Note under FLIPGRID. If you missed turning in the first FLIPGRID I will still accept it. Let me know if you have questions about anything, but especially about getting the Flipgrid assignments in. In this class missing a Flipgrid is going to make it very difficult for me to get to know and help you with performance. Production Workshop began performances for the UNDER FIVES original scripts and productions we have all been working on for the past three weeks. The live performances were BRILLIANT and so much fun to see. I am looking forward to next Tuesday to see the rest of the performances. Please make SURE you follow the weekly calendar for Production Workshop listed below!! AND make sure you are doing the Rehearsal and Performance Responses on the Collaboration Pages. I have graded all entries as of this morning. If you have questions about this just ask! Monday 10/5: Group leaders 3:30 - 4:00 Monday 10/5: Drama Leadership: 4:00 - 4:30 (same call) Tuesday 10/6: Under Five Performance Day Two: 2:25 - 3:45 Thursday 10/8: Group Leaders 3:30 - 4:00 Thursday 10/8: Drama Leadership: 4:00 - 4:30 (same call) Friday 10/9: Under Five DeBrief and What's Next?: 2:25 - 3:25 *************** For Monday, Sept 28 Hello Drama! This week September slides into October, and for Juanita Drama that means the Halloween Month has begun! Want to plan a virtual Halloween Costume Party? If you do make sure you let me know on your Monday Letter response. I am a push-over for Halloween - we decorate at our house this weekend! The photo this week features Farrah, one of the bosses from She Kills Monsters, played by the fierce and delightful Celina Osorio. And yes, that is Steve, the mage, aka Duncan, knocked out on the floor from Farrah's potent wand. Fabulous scene, and a magical and memorable show! Want to do the ONE thing that will make all of your classes so much more fun and engaging? Turn you cameras on! In my classes where students are popping on their cameras the atmosphere is transformed. On Friday, 6th period Tech Theatre, and 8th period Production Workshop, filled my screen with smiling, interested faces that made the moments come to life! It was energizing and inspiring. Give your classmates and teachers a gift and turn those camera on! In 6th we have been studying In The Heights, which opened on Broadway at the Richard Roger's Theatre, February, 2007. Next week we will be looking more closely at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, that has for the past 95 years housed some of Broadways most famous plays and musicals. Don't forget to take the quiz currently posted on Teams! In 7th I am having a great time viewing the Flipgrids of Monologues from Pop Songs. It is SO MUCH FUN to see you up and moving! Congrats on getting your first performance video to me. I will be sharing a few of the monologues in class, and will be getting feedback to you over the next week or so. Next week we will be looking at what it takes to perform on Broadway! In 8th, Production Workshop, all 12 Under Five cast and director groups are in rehearsal, preparing for performances to begin this coming Friday! I have thoroughly enjoyed the excitement surrounding this project. It is wonderful to have training sessions with my student directors, and to hear and read feedback from the actors. REMINDER: Communication is THE KEY to building and running the Juanita Drama program. Each and everyone of you communicating is critical to making it work with such a large and dynamic program. When you get an email from me, please respond, and make sure you are responsible for any of the tasks you have been assigned. This includes completing the collaborative responses posted on One Note. I need 100% of you to complete the current Sept 25 Response right away. Enjoy what others have written! EVERYONE please review the OPP Assignment Page in Teams, and make sure your OPP Proposal is filled in and correct: Classroom Notebook, Collaborative Section, Quarter Project. I will be posting grades this week for your OPP PROPOSAL and for VIEWING THE ASSIGNMENT. Teams shows me when you view an assignment:). Here is the Production Workshop Calendar for the week:
For Monday, September, 21, 2020 Hello Drama! We are in the swing of things in all of the Drama Classes! ALL classes now have the OPP Assignment and Rubric posted in TEAMS. Take the time to carefully review the assignment, and read the Rubric. FINAL DUE DATE for your OPP Proposals. submitted to Mac via email, is this Monday, September 21. Once you have submitted your proposal go to the PROJECT PROPOSAL page in the Collaborative section of your Class Notebook, and fill in the information. Check your grades! Everything is updated. Missing something? Complete it and let me know in your Monday Letter response (which is due by Sunday, at 9pm). If you MISSED last week's letter on how to respond to the Monday Letter go to the top of this website, click on MORE. and open the Past Monday Letter page. You will find instructions on how to respond to the Monday Letter there. In Tech Theatre we are studying In The Heights, as we continue our deep dive into the collaborative process of producing a show. In Drama 1 & 2 we are working on Popular Songs as Monologues. Your Flipgrids are DUE on Wed, Sept 23, by 4pm. The assignment page, and link to Flipgrid, is in your Class Notebook, Content Library, under the Monologue Section. In Production Workshop we are in week two of Under Fives, with 12 groups, and 42 students writing under five minute plays, with abandoned places as common settings. Plays are due to be submitted to Mac in the Group Leader meeting on Monday during 0 period. We will then begin the week long rehearsal process to prepare for live performances on Teams. ALL Production Workshop students will meet on Tuesday, in 8th period, before breaking out to rehearsal groups. Group Leaders make sure you UPDATE the Meeting Details page in the Collaborative section of your Class Notebook with the next meeting posted. Today's featured photo is Alumni Cindy Cao, and Senior Elizabeth Shirakian, in Arabian Nights! Ask Elizabeth about her experiences in that show! To see more pics from past show go to Juanita Drama's Facebook page (while you are there put a like on the page!). We also have an instagram account at jhs_drama. Take some time to check that out! I am so grateful for ALL of JHS Drama. Keep working hard and having fun in Drama! ********************** For Monday, September 14, 2020 Hello Drama! This is the first Monday Letter that is a REQUIRED RESPONSE as part of your participation grade each week. See below for how to respond, and make sure you email a response by 9pm each Sunday. If this is your first time on the site, welcome! Explore the Archive Tab for past show pics, and read below this letter for past letters from this past summer! The photo featured on the Monday Letter this week brings back amazing memories of SKM and three of our awesome D&D characters played by Gabe, Jade and Eve ! Did you see the show? I am enjoying our work in Tech Theatre and Performance classes! You are all so amazing the way you are leaning into the remote world of Theatre Education, and supporting what we are doing in class. I am grateful for the smiling faces from the other side of my computer screen guiding me along. Thanks to all my helpers! We are going to continue exploring the role of the Stage Manager in 6th, and dive deeper into vocal work in 7th. If you are in Production Workshop you will find out on Tuesday the Under 5's groupings and settings for our first virtual rehearsals and performances! Those of you who volunteered to be student leaders please look for an email by Sunday night. OPP's: The OPP assignment will be posted by Sunday night . Make sure you thoroughly understand the OPP Quarter Project by reading through the OPP Handout in the Content Library, under the Quarter Project tab. Show this to your parents, and encourage them to watch a show with you. Siblings, too! When you respond to the Monday Letter today you can propose what Play or Musical you want to do your OPP on! All Drama students should now be signed up for TEENTIX. Go to HOW TO USE YOUR TEENTIX PASS for complete information on using your pass for VIRTUAL and REAL TIME events! If you haven't shown me your pass remember to do that as you say "HI MAC, It's Awesome Drama Kid (your name)" to me in classes next Monday and Tuesday! You can get the pass on your phone or print it out to show me by going to the TeenTix website. Now that you have read the Monday Letter you need to respond by emailing Mac at [email protected] by 9pm each Sunday. Use your school email unless you are having problems with it. Here are the three required pieces to the Monday Letter Responses, with short examples (you can write as much as you want to me!): 1. (After saying hi to me!) Respond to the work we have been doing. Example: It was fun to do the vocal warm up exercises in class! I get it now that the diaphragm is where the power comes from! 2. What is due, and/or what are you working on or getting ready for the next week in Drama? Example: I have to bring a straw and a glass of water to class on Monday so we can practice Straw Vocalizing. I did it with my little sister and then my mom wanted to try! Also, I want to watch She Loves Me on the NPR site for my OPP. Is that ok? 3. Something fun and interesting about you, what you are up to, other classes - really anything you want to share with me! Example: I made lasagna for the first time for my family. It was delicious, and not that hard to make. I put a LOT of cheese in it, and my family really liked it. I think I want to try to actually make homemade noodles next time! I love reading the Monday Letter responses and getting to know each of you even better. Make sure you post by 9pm on SUNDAY NIGHT to give me time to read and adjust anything I need to be thinking about before classes start on Monday. Questions? Just ask!! Hugs, Mac @ [email protected] ************************************************ 7/26/2020 Hello Drama (current AND Alumni!!) We know now that Juanita will be full remote for the start of the 20-21 school year. Many Alumni have heard that their long-awaited move to college campuses will have to be postponed. I know this is disappointing and challenging, and that you will have lots of questions about what this means going forward. There are things we don't know and can't control, but there are many things we can do as individuals to make this time a positive experience. Live in the daily. Find joy in what is right in front of you: family, getting outside, new ideas for creativity. Stay active and engaged in life. Your future is bright - just different than what you had imagined. Take advantage of this rare personal time to expand your interests, to take some deep dives into your creative self. You are going to be spending a lot of screen time when school returns. Start NOW to create a balance, daily rituals that have nothing to do with the screen. Make art daily. Dance. Be a kitchen scientist. Grow and nurture a plant (really, this is quite the fascinating thing to do!). Write actual letters and mail them to your friends. Learn to hula-hoop or do some fancy rope skipping. Choose a favorite musical and REALLY learn the lyrics, dance moves, monologues. Push yourself to grow and change. YOU are your best teacher and it is amazing what you will learn when you also become your best motivator! Create an idea journal filled with things that catch your eye, inspire you or lift your spirits. You can use a bound journal or just pieces of blank paper in a notebook. Start one today, and each day add a page: style steal a favorite artist or reproduce a work you love and comment on it (see above). Write a poem or short story, or some observations. Keep track of funny things you heard or saw. Record song lyrics, quotes and comment. Record kitchen adventures. Recall favorite memories. Draw your cat or make a cartoon of your family life. Sketch, cut and paste (with real scissors!). Number and date your entries. Over time you will have created a record of who you were during this time we are all being challenged to stay engaged with life. Some days you will pour yourself into a day long project; other days your page will have a quote and a comment. Your pages will reflect the ebb and flow of these days. The thing about creative rituals is that you start looking forward to them and they become a focal point in your day. Take the time NOW when school isn't demanding your time to develop creative rituals that you can sustain throughout the fall. Want to chat? Just send me a text or email. Take care, Mac [email protected] |